Scratby Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ll level with you – the next 16 days at Scratby are a real struggle. The finder has thrown up nothing that’s worth paddling out for, so we’re stuck with a long stretch of poor surf. The guidance file tells me Scratby is a beginner spot, inconsistent, and exposed to the north, but even when the swell shows up, the wind is just cruel. The water temperature is 65°, which is a whopping 6° warmer than usual for this time of year – that’s very unusual, like stepping into a bath, but it’s not enough to save the waves.

We kick off Saturday the 11th with tiny 0.7 ft swell from the north, a 7-second period, and a weak 8 combined energy. Wind is cross-on from the northeast at 12 mph, so it’s choppy and messy. No good. Sunday the 12th sees a bump to 4 ft swell from the northeast, but the wind is still cross-on, now 16-19 mph, and the period is a short 5-6 seconds. The energy climbs to 80 then 126 (moderate), but the report keeps calling it “poor surf conditions.” That’s the truth.

Monday the 13th through to Saturday the 19th is a grind. Swell hangs around 0.3 ft to 5 ft, but the wind is mostly cross-on or cross-shore, often fresh and lumpy. The energy fluctuates – a few moderate readings like 108 or 129, but the wind just ruins it. On Sunday the 20th, we finally get a glimmer: a 5 ft to 6 ft swell from the north with a 7-second period and a cross-offshore wind from the northwest. The energy jumps to 217 then 310 (moderate to strong), and the report says “clean.” This is the best on offer, but it’s still rated “poor surf conditions” overall. For a beginner spot, 5 ft is getting big, and with that short period, it’ll be a bit of a mess. The swell direction is north, which matches the optimum swell direction for the north-facing exposure, so that’s a small win, but the wind is only cross-off, not fully offshore, so it’s not perfect.

Tuesday the 21st drops back to 5 ft to 6 ft, but the wind swings cross-shore, making it lumpy again. Wednesday the 22nd sees a 2 ft swell with offshore wind from the west at 12 mph – clean, but tiny. The energy is only 47 (weak). From Thursday the 23rd onward, it’s flat or near-flat, with a few 1.0 ft to 3 ft pulses, but the wind is either cross-off or onshore, and the energy is single-digit or very low. There’s a 1 ft swell on Sunday the 26th with an offshore wind from the west, 9 mph, and a 5-second period, energy of 13 (weak). Again, clean but tiny.

Honestly, this is a blank run. Scratby isn’t a consistent spot, so a poor stretch like this is more normal for the area. The only real standouts are the clean conditions on the 20th and 21st with moderate swell energy, but even then, the quality is poor. If you’re desperate, that Monday the 20th with 5 ft to 6 ft swell and a cross-offshore breeze is your best bet, but I’d keep the expectations low. Forecasts can change, but right now, it’s a tough one.

Rusty.

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