Sawtell Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ll be straight with you – we’ve got a bit of a flat spell coming up for Sawtell. The first solid surf worth getting out of bed for isn’t until Sunday morning, the 2nd of August. Before that, it’s a waiting game.

Sunday morning, the 2nd of August, is the standout in this whole 16-day window. We’ve got a clean 4ft SE groundswell rolling in, with a period of 9 seconds, and the combined energy is sitting at a solid 524 (moderate wave energy). The wind is glassy from the SSW at 3 mph, so the point at Sawtell will be smooth as silk. Water temp is 67°F, which is about average for this time of year. This is a classic point break session – clean, lined up, and offering proper waves for the advanced crew. If you’re a beginner, 4ft is fine, so don’t stress. The swell direction is right on the optimum from the SE, so the break will be working well. Just be aware that crowds are sometimes an issue here, so get in early.

The rest of the first week is pretty average. Sunday afternoon turns onshore, and Monday morning the 3rd of August has a smaller 4ft SE swell, but the glassy NNE wind at 3 mph keeps it clean. That’s probably your second-best session, but the combined energy drops to 397 (still moderate). Monday afternoon and Tuesday are a write-off with onshore winds and weak swell.

From Tuesday the 4th of August through to the end of the forecast, it’s mostly small, weak surf. The swell hovers around 2ft to 3ft, with combined energy mostly under 200 (weak to low-moderate). Winds are a mixed bag – some clean windows on the 10th, 11th, and 12th of August with glassy or cross-off breezes, but the swell is just too small to get excited about. The period is short too, mostly 8–10 seconds, so it’s windswell territory.

There’s a few mornings with clean conditions and tiny waves – like the 5th, 8th, and 16th of August – but don’t expect anything worth paddling out for unless you’re desperate for a splash. The best of those is maybe the 16th of August, Sunday morning, with 3ft E swell and light offshore winds, but it’s still a long way off and the energy is low (148).

Overall, if you want a real surf, Sunday morning the 2nd of August is your one true standout. The rest is a long, quiet stretch. Don’t hold your breath for the second week – it’s all small and inconsistent. For kite surfers, the afternoon onshore winds might offer something, but for paddle surfing, it’s a lean run.

Rusty.

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