Shark Island (Cronulla) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s shaping up for us.

To be straight with you, the next week and a half is a bit of a write-off for any decent surf at Shark Island (Cronulla). There’s a long gap from today, the 18th of August, right through until the 29th of August where the conditions are just poor. We’re talking small, weak swell, mostly under 3 ft, with a lot of onshore or cross-onshore wind making a mess of things. The water’s a bit cooler than normal for this time of year at 62°F. You’ll see some clean moments on the 21st, 22nd, and 24th with light offshore or cross-offshore wind, but the swell is tiny – 1 ft to 3 ft – and lacks any real power, with the combined energy (13 to 137) barely registering. It’s just not worth paddling out for.

Around the 25th to the 28th, we get some clean, offshore mornings, but still the swell is small and weak, with heights only 1 ft to 3 ft. The energy stays low (59 to 162), so it’s frustratingly flat with nice wind.

Now, the real standout is Sunday the 30th of August. That morning is the one to circle. The swell jumps to a solid 8 ft from the SSE, with a very long period of 18 seconds – that’s a proper groundswell. The combined energy is a whopping 4887, so you’ll feel the power. For a reef break like Shark Island, that long period can make for some lined-up, juicy waves, but it’s a big swell. Over 8 ft, this is expert territory, and with 8 ft, it’s still only for experienced surfers. The wind is light offshore from the SSW at 9 mph, which will groom it clean. This is the pick of the entire outlook, but you’ll want to be seasoned for it. It’s also promising but it’s a long way out, so keep an eye on the updates.

The afternoon of the 30th sees the swell even bigger at 10 ft, but the wind swings cross-onshore, so it’ll get a bit messy. That morning session is the one.

After that, on the 31st of August and into September, the swell drops back down, and the wind turns onshore again. The morning of the 1st of September has a glassy 4 ft SSE swell, which is a nice consolation for the intermediate surfer, but it’s nothing special.

So there you have it. A long dry spell, then one cracking Sunday morning if you’re up for a challenge and can wait for it. Rest of the time? Best leave the board in the car.

Rusty.

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