Shark Island (Cronulla) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, Rusty here, and let me tell ya, the next couple of weeks at Shark Island (Cronulla) are gonna be a real mixed bag, and honestly, a bit of a grind for most of it. We've got a 16-day window stretching from now, and the first proper surf doesn't show up until Tuesday the 11th. Even then, conditions are tricky.

We kick off Tuesday the 11th with a small 2ft swell from the ENE, period around 10 seconds, so not much to write home about. The swell energy's weak at 160, and the cross-off shore wind is a fresh 30 km/h. It's clean enough, but the wave comment is "poor surf conditions." Tuesday arvo sees a jump to 5ft from the S, with moderate energy (624), but the wind is still cross-off. It's called "marginal" – you might get one, but don't expect much.

Wednesday the 12th is looking pretty flat again with a 3ft southerly swell. The afternoon offers a bit of offshore wind from the WSW at 20 km/h, which is a positive for cleanliness, but the wave comment says "very ordinary conditions." We're stuck in this pattern for a few days. Thursday the 13th arvo brings a bigger 6ft swell from the S with decent energy (885), but it's a short 9-second period and the wind goes cross-shore, so expect chop.

Honestly, from the 11th right through to the 24th of August, most days are slapped with "poor surf conditions" or "marginal." There's a lot of onshore and cross-shore wind in the mix, and the swell direction is rarely lining up with the optimum S to SE for this reef break. The water temp is about average for this time of year, nothing unusual to report there.

Now, for the one true standout, keep your eye on Tuesday the 25th of August. This is the best on offer. We get a solid 7ft swell from the SSE, with moderate to strong energy hitting 628. The wind is offshore from the SSW at a fresh 30 km/h, so it'll be glassy and clean. This is a serious groundswell with a 7-second period, meaning it's got some push. The only catch is that at over 6ft, this is for advanced surfers only. The wave comment is still "marginal" due to tide, but the offshore wind and size make it the window to circle.

For the days before that, Monday the 24th also has size – 7ft from the S with offshore wind in the arvo, but again, it's a 7-second period and the comment is "marginal." The period is short, so it might wall up a bit. Wednesday the 26th is similar with 8ft from the SE and cross-shore wind, but the 8-second period might make it a bit straighter at this reef.

Overall, it's a long wait. There's a big gap of poor quality from now until late August. The 25th and 26th look like the only real chances for a decent session, and even then, you need to be on your game and pick your tide. The rest is blown out or small. Hang in there, because the swell is coming, but it's gonna test your patience first.

Rusty.

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