Sandwood Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, let’s talk about Sandwood Bay. This is a remote, exposed beach and reef set-up that needs a specific window to work, and honestly, the next couple of weeks are a bit of a mixed bag for us.

Right now, we’re looking at a long stretch of poor conditions. The water temperature is sitting at about 56°F, which is pretty much normal for this time of year, so no surprises there.

We start off with a real dud of a Monday morning. A 7ft swell from the NNW, but it’s being hammered by a strong onshore wind. The wave energy is moderate (851), but with that wind, it’s a complete write-off. It’s not even worth a paddle. That theme continues through the rest of Monday and into Tuesday morning, though we do see a shift. By Tuesday afternoon, we get a tiny, glassy window. The wind drops to a glassy 3 mph from the ESE, offshore, and the swell drops to 3ft from the N. It’s a small, clean wave, but it’s weak, with combined energy down at 92. It’s surfable, but very ordinary.

Wednesday and Thursday stay small and messy, with a clean but tiny swell around 2ft to 3ft from the W, and cross-off winds. The energy is low, never breaking 178. Not worth the trek.

We then hit a long, dry spell. From Friday, the 14th of August, all the way through to the 22nd of August, the conditions are poor. The wind is mostly cross, cross-on, or strong, ruining any chance of a clean wave. We see a bit of a bump in swell around the 18th and 19th, with a 6ft WNW swell, but the wind is cross-on or cross-shore, making it a messy, choppy affair. The energy climbs to 788, but it’s all for nothing. The whole setup looks more interesting for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer during this period.

Now, the one glimmer of hope. On Sunday, the 23rd of August, we finally get a decent morning. The wind swings to a light, offshore breeze from the SE at 6 mph. The swell is a clean 4ft from the NW. It’s not huge, but the wave energy is a solid 203, and with that offshore wind, it’s going to be the cleanest we’ve seen in a while. The catch is that the period is short at 8 seconds, so it might be a bit weak, but it’s the best on offer in the whole forecast. This is definitely the standout session. The afternoon gets ruined by a strong cross-shore wind, so make the most of the morning.

After that, it’s back to the grinder. Monday the 24th gets big and messy, and by Tuesday the 25th, we’re looking at a huge 10ft swell from the NNW, but it’s accompanied by punishing winds over 28 mph. The energy is through the roof (1779), but it’s a full-on, dangerous, blown-out mess. Only for the absolute nutters, and even then, it’s probably not worth it.

So, to sum it up: the first two weeks are a write-off. The only real chance for a decent surf is the morning of Sunday, the 23rd of August. It’s a long way off, so keep an eye on it, but that’s your window.

Rusty.

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