Shark Island (Cronulla) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ll be straight with you – this is a grim run for Shark Island (Cronulla). We’ve got a 16-day window and nothing on the table that gets the heart pumping. The first half of the week is a write-off, with the best we see being a few sessions where the waves are just surfable, and even then, the conditions are ordinary. There’s a long, quiet gap from the start of September right through to the end of the forecast, with barely a ripple worth paddling for.

Let’s start on Wednesday the 26th. Morning brings 3 ft of short-period, 8-second ENE windswell, with a cross-off shore SSW breeze at 19 mph. The water’s sitting at 62°, which is about average for this time of year. The combined swell energy is weak (125), so it’s small and messy. The afternoon bumps up to 5 ft but with a 6-second period from the south – that’s just junky and blown apart by a 16 mph southerly. Score a zero for both.

Thursday the 27th sees a pulse of 7 ft south swell with a 9-second period in the morning, but the 12 mph SSW cross-off wind keeps it from being clean. The energy’s getting into moderate territory (1375), but the conditions are marginal, and the tide might mess with it. It’s a 3 out of 10 at best. By afternoon, it drops to 5 ft with a light SE cross-breeze, but the swell’s still short and it’s only worth a 1.

Friday the 28th is the only real standout in this whole outlook. Morning delivers a clean 5 ft south-southeast groundswell with a decent 11-second period, and we get a light 6 mph offshore from the southwest. The combined energy is strong (664), and the break is fairly exposed, working well with that SE direction. The water’s still around 62°, no significant anomaly. This is the one to make the most of – it’s clean, has some push, and the offshore wind will hold it together. Paddling out will be easier with those long gaps between sets. It’s an advanced reef break so not one for beginners. Crowds are possible.

After that, we’re done. Saturday the 29th morning has 4 ft of SSE swell on a light cross-off breeze – it’s okay, but nothing special. Sunday the 30th is tiny, with 3 ft and then 3 ft, and the wind shifts around making a mess. From Monday the 31st onwards, it’s all poor surf conditions, with wave heights dropping below 2 ft by the 2nd of September and the energy falling into the double digits (weak). The best we see after that is a glassy 2 ft on the 9th of September, but with a 10-second south period and only 103 energy – it’s barely surfable.

The setup on some of these bigger, windier days with beach-and-reef exposure might honestly look more interesting for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer. For the rest of us, it’s a long blank stretch. But hey, forecasts can change. Keep an eye on it.

Rusty.

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