Sandy Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for the next couple of weeks at Sandy Beach.

Right off the bat, I gotta be honest with you – this is a tough one. The whole 16-day stretch is lookin’ pretty grim. We’ve got a massive gap right from the start, with no real surf on offer until the very end of the month. The wind is the main culprit here, blowin’ hard and from the wrong angles almost every single day. It’s a real shame, because there’s plenty of swell, but it’s all gettin’ chewed up.

For the first week and a half, it’s a write-off. From Friday the 14th all the way through to Wednesday the 27th, the conditions are just plain nasty. We’re lookin’ at strong cross-shore winds, often in the 18 to 31 mph range, which is gonna make the surface bumpy and messy. Even when the swell gets big – like on Sunday the 16th with a 12 ft swell from the East and a combined energy of 2504 (strong to very strong) – it’s all blowin’ out. That’s kite-surfing territory, not paddle surfing. There’s a brief moment on Sunday the 16th afternoon where the wind drops to 12 mph, but it’s still cross-onshore, and the surf is just marginal. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so nothin’ to get excited about thermals-wise.

Now, we finally get a little glimmer of hope right at the tail end. On Friday the 28th of August, the swell is still pumpin’ at 7 ft from the ENE, with a period around 10 seconds and a combined energy of 1075 (moderate to strong). The wind is still a fresh cross-shore at 22 mph, but it’s the best we’re gonna see. The score is still only a 1 out of 10, which tells you it’s barely worth paddling out. If you’re desperate for a wave and you’re an experienced surfer – because 7 ft is on the edge of big for a beginner – you might find a lumpy, closing-out wave. But honestly, the wind is still gonna make it a fight.

The standout? There isn’t one. If I had to pick the absolute least-bad session, it’s that Friday afternoon the 28th. The swell direction is a bit more east-northeast, which isn’t a perfect match for Sandy Beach’s optimum ESE direction, but it’s the closest we get to anything rideable. Expect crowds on the beach, but honestly, I doubt many will be in the water. This is a spot that’s fairly consistent, so a blank run like this is a bit of a downer, but it happens. Forecasts can change, and it’s a good time to clean the wax off your board and wait for a better window.

Rusty, signing off.

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