Sandwood Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, it’s Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s cooking at Sandwood Bay.

Right off the bat, the next week and a half is a bit of a mixed bag. We’ve got waves coming and going, but conditions are rough for a lot of it. The first real standout doesn’t come until Monday, August 10th, so hang tight if you’re looking for something clean. There’s a long stretch of poor surf and strong wind before that.

The water temp is sitting about average for this time of year, so nothing crazy there.

For the first few days, from Monday the 3rd through to Sunday the 9th, it’s mostly a write-off. Winds are howling from the ENE and NE, mostly cross-off or cross, but the swell is weak and short period. The combined wave energy is low to moderate – you’ll see numbers like 249 and 217, which is just not enough. Even when the swell bumps up a bit on Wednesday the 5th (5ft to 5ft from the NE), the wind is too strong and the period is too short. It’s messy. On Saturday the 8th, the swell gets bigger (6ft to 7ft from the WSW and W), but with a strong cross-onshore wind and a combined energy of 551, it’s just a mess for surfing. That’s more of a kite day.

Then Sunday the 9th brings a big NW groundswell – 8ft in the morning with a period of 11 seconds and a massive combined energy of 1737. That’s a lot of power, but it’s onshore wind and the break is a beach and reef setup. That kind of long-period swell can be tricky on a beach break, often breaking too straight. It’s gonna be big and heavy, only for experts. Not the best day to be out there unless you’re really on it.

Now, Monday, August 10th is the real standout. The swell drops to a cleaner 6ft from the NNW in the morning, with a still decent 10-second period. The combined energy is a solid 727 – that’s moderate to strong. But the best part is the wind: light breeze from the ESE, cross-off, and glassy. The afternoon keeps it clean with a 6ft swell from the N and the same light cross-off wind. This is the day to be out. It’s not too big (under 8ft, so not just for experts), and those conditions will give you clean, lined-up waves. It’s a fairly consistent spot, so you should get plenty of waves. The crowd profile says “rare,” so you might have it mostly to yourself. Perfect.

After that, Tuesday the 11th is still surfable in the morning with 5ft from the N and a cross-off wind, but the wind picks up and the quality drops through the afternoon. Then from Wednesday the 12th onwards, it’s back to small, weak, and mostly messy. There’s a tiny window on Thursday the 13th morning with glassy conditions and 2ft, but it’s so small it’s barely worth paddling out for.

So, to wrap it up: The best bet is Monday, August 10th. That’s the one. Get on it.

Rusty.

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