Shelley Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. We’ve got a pretty bleak 16-day stretch ahead for Shelley Beach. The first solid surf option doesn’t appear until Thursday the 14th of August, and even that comes with a major caveat. Before that, it’s mostly tiny, weak, or wind-affected waves, with a few mornings offering a sliver of hope.

Let’s start with what’s on offer. Monday, August 3rd, is actually the most consistent early call. Shelley Beach is showing a clean, 4ft SE swell with an 11-second period in the morning. The combined swell energy is moderate at 268, and with a light 6 mph cross-off breeze, it’s rideable. The afternoon holds similar 3ft SE swell, the wind goes offshore from the NW at 9 mph, so it’ll stay clean. Water temp is 64°, about average for this time of year.

After that, things drop off hard. Tuesday the 4th through to Wednesday the 13th is a real drought. Heights tumble below 3ft, periods shorten, and the wind swings around – mostly onshore or cross-shore. The odd morning like Thursday the 6th (2ft S swell, glassy) or Saturday the 8th (2ft S swell, glassy) offers a clean, tiny wave, but don’t expect any power. The combined swell energy is mostly in the double digits or low triple digits – weak to barely moderate. There’s a 10-day gap of nothing worth recommending.

The standout is Friday morning, August 14th. Shelley Beach gets a solid 10ft S swell with a 9-second period. The combined energy is a massive 2218, indicating strong wave energy. Winds are light cross-off from the north at 6 mph, so clean conditions. But here’s the thing – 10ft is way too big for this break. This is expert-only territory, and at a beach break, that kind of size will be a heavy, dangerous shore dump. Only the most experienced surfers should even think about it. The afternoon becomes a messy 8ft with a 19 mph cross-shore breeze.

Saturday the 15th offers a more manageable 5ft S swell in the morning, with a moderate 12 mph cross-off wind. It’s surfable for strong intermediates, but combined swell energy of 396 and a short 8-second period means it won’t be great quality. The afternoon drops to 5ft.

After that, it fades into junk swell again. The second week is a write-off – tiny 2-2ft swells, cross-onshore winds, and low energy. Tuesday the 18th has a glassy 2ft S swell in the morning, but it’s still only 135 energy.

Truth is, if you’re looking for a proper surf, this 16-day window is mostly a bust. Shelley Beach is exposed to the SE, and when the swell does show, it’s either too small, too weak, or way too big. The consistent nature of the break means it tends to come back around, but this run is looking grim.

Rusty.

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