Secret Harbour Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get into it. This is Rusty, and I’ve got a good look at what’s coming for Secret Harbour.

First up, the water temp is sitting at 64°, which is about 2° cooler than the long-term average for this time of year – nothing to stress about, just a touch on the chilly side. The swell energy is pumping, with a massive reading of 12,279 (very strong) for the first session, but it’s a mess right now. Saturday afternoon has a 16ft WSW swell with a very long period of 16 seconds, but it’s coming with a 25 mph cross-onshore wind and light rain. That’s a write-off – poor surf conditions, blown out, and way too big for anyone but the most experienced.

Sunday morning sees the swell drop to 12ft from the WSW, with a 17-second period, and the wind turns onshore but lighter at 9 mph. The energy is still substantial (5,733), but the report says marginal due to tide. By Sunday afternoon, it’s back to poor with 12 mph onshore wind. Monday is a total loss: 28-31 mph winds, near gale, and 10-13ft of messy swell. That’s kite-surfing territory, not paddle surfing.

Now, Tuesday morning the 11th of August is where we start to see some hope. The swell is still 13ft from the WSW with a 16-second period, and the energy is high (7,494). The wind is a light 6 mph cross-onshore. It’s still marginal, but the score is a 7 – that’s the best of the first week. The waves will have heaps of grunt, but that long period means it’ll be a bit walled up at a beach break like Secret Harbour. It’s a sandbar, so it might line up okay, but it’s more of a spot for the experts given the size.

The real standout? Wednesday the 12th and Thursday the 13th. The swell drops to a more manageable 7-8ft, still from the WSW, with a 15-16 second period. The energy is in the moderate range (2,182-2,660). But the wind – oh, the wind. Wednesday afternoon goes glassy, and both mornings have clean, cross-offshore winds. The report says “excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers,” and I’m buzzing for that. For a surfer, that’s smooth, lined-up groundswell with no chop. This is your window. The crowd factor at Secret Harbour is “sometimes,” so you might have a few others out, but it’s not a circus.

Friday the 14th and Saturday the 15th mornings stay clean with cross-off winds and dropping swell (6-7ft), still with that good period. It’s not as punchy, but it’s quality.

Then there’s a gap. Sunday the 16th is marginal, with a 7ft W swell and a 13-second period, but the wind is a fresh 19 mph cross-off – that’s clean but a bit breezy. Monday the 17th jumps back up to 12ft from the W, with a 17-second period, but the wind is a moderate cross-shore, and it’s only marginal. Tuesday the 18th is a write-off again with 31 mph winds.

Here’s the long-range promise: Wednesday the 19th of August. The swell is 15ft from the W with a 15-18 second period, and the energy is massive (8,158 to 14,770). The wind is a moderate cross-shore, and the report says the swell is predicted to be too big for this break. That’s a 15ft wave – only for the absolute experienced, and even then, it’s going to be a beast. The period is long, so it’ll be a paddle battle, but if you’re a charger, that’s a day to mark. Thursday the 20th is still big (13ft) and marginal, but the wind is fresh cross-shore, making it lumpy.

The rest of the window into the 22nd and 23rd of August is on the bigger side (10-13ft), with cross or onshore winds and poor conditions. Not worth the drive.

So, to sum it up: the best bet is Wednesday the 12th through Friday the 14th of August, when you get clean, 7-8ft WSW groundswell with glassy or light offshore winds. That’s the pick. The long-range standout on the 19th is for the big-wave crew only, and it’s a long way out, so keep an eye on it.

Rusty.

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