Sawtell-The Island Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, it’s Rusty here. Let’s talk about Sawtell-The Island. This is an advanced-level break, exposed to the swell, and it’s fairly consistent. It’s a spot that can fire when the conditions line up, but you’ve gotta pick your moment. The water temperature is about average for the time of year, nothing too unusual there.

The next few days are a bit of a write-off for quality surfing. The swell is there, but it’s wrapped in cross-shore wind and a messy chop. Friday the 17th has 8ft to 7ft SE swell, short 7-second period, and a moderate breeze making it a poor-marginal call. Not worth paddling out.

Saturday the 18th shows a bit of promise on the afternoon. The swell jumps to 10ft from the ESE with a 9-second period, and the wind swings cross-offshore with a fresh breeze. The energy is strong (1595), but the wave comment says the swell is predicted to be too big for this break. That’s a lot of water moving—only for the experienced crew. Even then, it’s a big, raw lump.

Sunday the 19th is even bigger. 12ft ESE swell in the morning, 10-second period, and a fresh cross-shore. The energy is very strong (2349), and again, the size is too much for the break. Unless you’re a seasoned charger, give it a miss.

The standout window finally opens on Tuesday the 21st. The morning session is glassy—zero wind, calm as a lake. There’s 5ft E swell with a 10-second period, giving moderate energy (519). The conditions are expected to be very good. This is the pick of the first week. The swell direction is right on the money for this break, and you’ll have clean, lined-up waves. It’s a fairly consistent spot, but crowds are possible, so get out early.

The next few days drop off hard. Wednesday the 22nd and Thursday the 23rd are small and weak, with onshore or cross-on winds. Not much to get excited about. There’s a bit of a gap here until things start looking up again.

Friday the 24th brings a new pulse. 7ft to 8ft SSE swell, 8-9 second period, with cross-offshore winds. The energy is moderate to strong (599-1056). The wind keeps it clean, but the wave comments say marginal. It’s surfable, but not firing on all cylinders.

Now, the real standout for the second week is Saturday the 25th. The morning has 6ft SSE swell with a 11-second period—that’s a nice long-period groundswell. The wind is light offshore from the SSW, making it clean. The energy is moderate (652), and the conditions are expected to be very good. This is a promising session, but it’s a week out, so keep an eye on it. The long period could make it a bit tricky at a beach break, but for a spot like this, it should shape up well.

Sunday the 26th has a bigger 7ft to 8ft S swell, with a moderate breeze, but the energy is strong (991-1912). The wind is cross-offshore, keeping it clean, but the wave comments are still marginal. It’s a solid option for the experienced.

The week after that fades again. Monday the 27th through Wednesday the 30th are small, with weak energy and mostly clean winds but not much power. The swell drops to 5ft and then 3ft, and the energy falls away. Not worth a special trip.

The last notable day is Friday the 31st. The morning has 5ft SSE swell with a long 12-second period, light offshore wind from the SW, and conditions expected to be very good. The energy is moderate (646). This is another promising one, but it’s more than two weeks out, so treat it as a hopeful look.

Overall, the best bets are Tuesday the 21st morning for a glassy, manageable swell, and Saturday the 25th morning for a clean, long-period groundswell. The rest of the window is a mix of too big, too small, or messy. Stay patient.

Rusty.

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