Shelley Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s lining up for us over the next couple of weeks.

We’re kicking off with a slow start. Friday the 4th and Saturday the 5th are pretty much a write-off – small, weak, and messy. The water temperature is sitting at 65°, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The first real glimmer of hope comes Monday morning, September 7th. Shelley Beach will see a clean 5 ft swell from the south with a period of 8 seconds. The wind is dead calm – glassy conditions. Combined energy is moderate at 270. It’s not going to be epic, but it’ll be clean and fun on a longboard. The swell direction is close to the optimum from the south-east, so it’s a decent little session to start the week.

Now, hold onto your boardies – Tuesday the 8th brings a serious jump in size. The morning shows 8 ft from the SSE (period 9 seconds) with a combined energy of 1709, which is strong. Problem is, the wind is cross-shore and lumpy. That’s big, powerful, but pretty messy. This one is for experienced surfers only, and even then, it’s not going to be pretty. The afternoon is similar, still big but with a gentle cross-onshore chop.

Wednesday the 9th morning is where it’s at. A clean 5 ft swell from the SSE, period 10 seconds, and a light cross-offshore breeze from the north (10 km/h). This is the standout of the first week – clean, solid, and surfable. Combined energy is 405 – moderate but solid. Shelley Beach should offer some nice, shapely lines. Crowds are possible here, so get in early.

The period from Thursday the 10th through to Tuesday the 15th is a mixed bag. Thursday the 10th morning has a massive 10 ft swell from the SSE (period 10 seconds, energy 1887) but the wind is a fresh 30 km/h cross-shore. It’s too big for this break and the wind is going to make it dangerous. Kite surfers might be interested, but for paddle surfing, it’s a hard no. Friday the 11th and Saturday the 12th see size dropping back to 8 ft and 5 ft, but the wind stays onshore or cross-shore, keeping conditions marginal.

From Sunday the 13th right through to Wednesday the 16th, it’s a long flat spell. Swell drops to under 3 ft, with poor winds and weak energy. There’s a big gap of about 4 days with no real recommendations.

Then, just when you think it’s over, we get a late surprise. Thursday the 17th morning: glassy conditions again, with a 5 ft swell from the SSW (period 7 seconds). Combined energy is 341. It’s a short-period swell, but with the wind dead calm and clean, it’ll be a fun little session before the next pulse.

That next pulse hits on Friday the 18th – a massive 10 ft southerly swell with a period of 14 seconds. Combined energy is an enormous 3424. That’s very long period groundswell, but the wind is howling 30 km/h cross-onshore. It’s a messy, dangerous beast. Only for the hardcore, and even then, it’s going to be a washing machine. Saturday the 19th is still big (8 ft) but the wind is lighter, so it might clean up a little, but the onshore component will keep it lumpy.

So, the best bets are: Monday morning September 7th for a clean, glassy session, and Wednesday morning September 9th for the best combination of size and wind. The later pulse on the 17th is also a glassy option, but it’s short period. The big stuff on the 18th is a miss for Shelley Beach.

Rusty.

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