Sandy Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's shaping up.

Honestly, it's a tough stretch ahead. For the next week and a half, the conditions are just not playing ball. We’re looking at a long run of poor surf at Sandy Beach, with the wind stuck in an ENE pattern that’s going to mess things up.

Starting on Monday the 17th and running right through to around the 26th of August, it's a write-off. The wind is coming in strong from the east-northeast, creating a lumpy, cross-shore chop that’s going to ruin any chance of a clean wave. The swell is there, but it's weak or short-period windswell, and the wind is just too raw. The combined swell energy stays moderate for most of this time, in the low to mid hundreds, but the quality is just not there. You’d be fighting a messy, bumpy surface.

The wind is relentless. From Monday the 17th onward, it's a moderate to fresh breeze, sometimes even a strong breeze, always cross-shore. It’s the kind of wind that makes you paddle hard for a lumpy, sectiony wave. Not worth it. The swell size stays small, under 1.5m (about 5 ft), so it’s not even a power thing—it’s just ugly.

Then from the 23rd of August onward, the swell starts to build, but the wind stays strong and cross-shore. By Monday the 25th, the swell is up to 2.5m (about 8 ft), but with that 28 mph cross-shore wind, it’s a messy, blown-out mess. The combined wave energy jumps up into the four-digit range, showing there’s a lot of power, but the conditions are terrible. It’s the kind of setup that looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. This gets even bigger on Wednesday the 26th, with 3.5m (about 12 ft) swells and massive energy, but still a strong cross-shore wind. Not for paddling.

The only glimmer in the whole 16-day run is on Thursday the 27th of August. The forecast actually says "wind and tide favorable" for Sandy Beach, but there’s a catch. The swell is predicted to be 3.5m (about 12 ft) from the east with a 9-second period. That’s a lot of water moving, with massive combined energy. For a beach and reef break, that’s expert territory only. The wind is still a fresh cross-shore, but the conditions are supposed to align. If you’re a seasoned charger with a big-wave gun, this might be your window. For everyone else, it’s a day to watch from the sand. The rest of that week and into September, it's back to poor surf and strong winds.

Water temp is sitting at a very normal 80°F for this time of year, so no surprises there.

So, to be straight with you: don't bother getting the board wet until that Thursday the 27th, and even then, only if you know what you’re doing. This is a long blank run. It happens here sometimes. Forecasts can change, but right now, it’s a waiting game.

Rusty.

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