Sandy Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what we've got coming up for Sandy Beach over the next couple of weeks. I gotta be straight with you – this isn't one of those classic, pumpin' forecasts. The whole window is a real battle with the wind, and the swell direction just isn't playing ball.

We kick off Friday the 21st with tiny, grovelly waves around 2ft to 3ft. The wind is straight out of the ENE, blowing cross or cross-on, and the combined swell energy is weak at best (71). It's gonna be a ripply, lumpy mess. Not worth paddling out. That stays the same right through the weekend and into next week. The swell does pick up a bit, hitting 6ft on Sunday the 23rd, and the energy climbs into the moderate range (502), but that constant, fresh to strong ENE cross-shore wind (25 mph) is going to chop it all up. It's just poor quality surf, session after session. On Monday the 22nd of August, the water temp is a pleasant 80°F, which is pretty much average for this time of year.

We roll through that entire first week with the same story: messy, cross-shore wind and lumpy conditions. The swell heights hover around 5ft to 5ft, but the wind just won't let up. By Wednesday the 26th, the swell direction swings around to the SSW and S, and the period jumps to 14 and then 18 seconds – that's proper long-period groundswell, with energy hitting strong levels (588 and 606). But here's the kicker: the wind is still a fresh cross-shore from the ENE at 22 mph. That strong, clean swell is getting completely torn apart by the side-wind. It's frustrating to watch.

The pattern continues through the 27th, 28th, and 29th. The swell energy is strong to very strong, with some readings over 1000, but it's all coming from the south or east with long periods, and the cross-wind is relentless. The beach break is going to be a wall of fat, straight lines with a horrible cross-chop on top. Honestly, this setup looks more interesting for the kite surfers than for us with a paddle.

Now, late in the run, things get... different. On Monday the 31st of August, the swell blows up. We're looking at 10ft to 12ft from the ENE, with wind and tide that are supposedly favorable. That sounds exciting, right? Well, the combined energy is monstrous (2133 and 2779), but the file itself tells us it's too big for this break. That's expert-only territory, and likely a washing machine. By September 1st, the wind cranks up to a near gale (31 mph) with rain showers, making it a complete mess.

The last few days, from September 2nd to the 5th, we see the swell drop back to 6ft to 7ft. The wind finally looks a little lighter, even switching to onshore from the SE for a brief moment on the morning of the 2nd. We get some periods with a "gentle breeze" and "marginal" conditions, so maybe, just maybe, you'll find a couple of clean-ish corners on the 4th or 5th of September if you're desperate. But honestly? This 16-day stretch is a write-off. The wind just has our number, and when the swell is big enough to be good, it's wrong for the break. Keep the board in the car, and wait for the next one.

Rusty

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