Sandtracks Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you: the next couple of weeks are going to test your patience if you’re chasing waves at Sandtracks. The forecast is a long, flat spell of cross-shore junk, with the easterly wind blowing straight across the face and messing up whatever small swell tries to show. The water’s sitting at 81°, which is about normal for this time of year, so at least you won’t need a thick suit.

The first real window of interest doesn’t open until Monday the 10th. Before that, from Tuesday the 4th through Sunday the 9th, it’s all poor surf conditions – tiny 1ft to 5ft stuff, mostly short-period windswell, and that cross-shore breeze chopping it up. Honestly, not worth paddling out for anything but a float.

Come Monday the 10th, we finally see a bit of life. The morning pushes to 5ft from the ENE with an 8-second period, and the combined energy climbs to 713 (moderate). It’s still cross-shore, but the quality rating is only “marginal,” so don’t expect gems. The wind stays fresh out of the ENE, so it’ll be lumpy. The afternoon drops back down.

Tuesday the 11th and Wednesday the 12th see a shift – the swell direction swings to the SSW/S, with longer periods around 14-18 seconds. That’s real groundswell energy, but the wind is still hammering from the ENE at 19-22 mph, and the surf quality is still rated poor. Height stays around 3ft to 3ft, so it’s not big, just messy. The energy readings are moderate (446 to 983), but the chop will be your main enemy.

Then from Thursday the 13th through Tuesday the 18th, the trade wind cranks up to 25 mph, and things get proper ugly. Swell heights build from 4ft up to 8ft by the 17th and 18th, with short 8-9 second periods. The combined energy goes strong – we’re talking 889 up to 1217. That’s a lot of water moving, but it’s all short-period, wind-blown slop. The cross-shore wind is strong, the surf is rated poor, and with that size and short period, it’s going to be a mess. For most of us, this is a write-off. The setup looks far more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing – you’ll get plenty of push but no clean face to work with.

The 8ft stuff on the 17th and 18th is pushing past beginner territory, but given the wind and period, it’s really only for the most experienced, and even then, it’ll be a battle.

So, the honest call: there are no standout days in this 16-day window. The only slightly interesting moment is Monday the 10th morning, where you get a bit of size and moderate energy, but it’s still a far cry from clean. The rest is a long grind of cross-shore trade wind and short-period junk. Keep the board in the car, but don’t hold your breath. This kind of blank run is more normal for the area – it won’t stay poor forever, but you’ll need to wait for the wind to back off.

Rusty out.

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