Shelley Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, letting you know what's cooking for Shelley Beach.

Honestly, looking ahead, we've got a bit of a mixed bag. The next week is looking pretty average, with a lot of onshore wind and messy conditions. The real standout, and I mean the only one worth circling on your calendar, is Sunday the 23rd of August. That morning, the wave energy is pumping with a combined energy of 5155, but it's a bit of a beast at 13 feet from the south with a 10-second period. It's going to be too big and clean for everyone except the experts. However, that Sunday afternoon, things settle. The swell drops to a still-chunky 10 feet from the south, but the wind goes gentler, and the conditions are favorable. It's still big, but the most promising session in the whole outlook.

Let's walk through it day by day. We start on Friday the 14th. The morning offers some hope with clean, 4 feet south swell and light cross-offshore wind, making for a pleasant session. But the afternoon falls apart with onshore wind. Saturday the 15th is a write-off with rain and onshore wind chopping up a 5 feet south swell. Sunday the 16th and Monday the 17th are much the same story: onshore wind and poor surf. Tuesday the 18th and Wednesday the 19th are marginal at best, with small, weak swell and persistent cross-onshore winds.

Now, Thursday the 20th of August is interesting. In the morning, we get a glassy session. The waves are only 4 feet from the ESE with a 7-second period, so it's not powerful, but the water is glassy. The water temp is about average for August at 64°. It's surfable, but very ordinary. Friday the 21st offers a similar, small and clean option, but nothing to get excited about. Saturday the 22nd is a dud with tiny 2 feet waves and strong wind.

Then we hit that Sunday the 23rd. As I said, the morning is for experts only with a huge 13 feet south swell. The afternoon is the pick: 10 feet from the south, and the wind is gentle cross-onshore, making it the best on offer, but still big. The energy is off the charts at 3564. After that, Monday the 24th morning drops back to a more manageable 4 feet from the south with clean, cross-offshore wind. Good fun for the more moderate surfers. The rest of the week into the end of the month is a washout. There's a massive 18 feet swell arriving on the 27th, but it's accompanied by brutal 18 mph onshore winds. The next few days are just big, stormy, and ugly. Not worth the drive.

So, to sum it up: the next week is mostly a write-off. The one standout is the afternoon of Sunday the 23rd for the experienced chargers, with big, powerful surf. The morning of Monday the 24th is a decent second option for a smaller, cleaner wave.

Rusty.

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