Shelley Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer at Shelley Beach over the next couple of weeks.

Truth be told, the next few days are pretty grim. Saturday morning the 5th of September has a small 2 ft south swell coming in at 10 seconds, with a north cross-off breeze that’ll keep things kinda clean, but the combined swell energy is a weak 99 and the whole vibe is just very ordinary. Water temp is 66°, which is pretty much spot on for this time of year so no wetsuit drama. Saturday afternoon drops to 2 ft with a nice offshore from the west-northwest, still weak energy at 74. It’s surfable, but nothing to get excited about. Sunday the 6th is a write-off: a messy 2 ft with a cross-shore southwesterly in the morning, and then a bumpy 4 ft onshore in the afternoon, energy jumping to 251 but the conditions are poor.

Monday the 7th of September is where we get our first real standout. Morning at Shelley Beach (Australia) is looking glassy with a light westerly that’s dead calm, and a 5 ft south swell rolling in at 9 seconds. Combined energy hits 387, which is moderate, but it’s the glassy surface that’ll have you grinning. That’s the pick of the first week – clean, fun waves for intermediates. Afternoon turns messy with a cross-onshore easterly, so get it early. Tuesday the 8th jumps up to 8 ft from the south-southeast in the morning, but with a 15 mph cross-onshore wind it’s just a chop fest – energy is a solid 1008 but it’s not for paddling. That kind of size and wind is more kite-surfing territory. Wednesday the 9th is cross-on again with 5 ft and light wind, marginal. Thursday the 10th sees a 10 ft south swell, energy at 2585 – strong, but the cross-onshore wind ruins it. Friday the 11th stays messy.

Now, look ahead to Saturday the 12th of September. That’s another standout – morning glass again, light southerly breeze, and a clean 5 ft south swell at 11 seconds. Combined energy is 639, moderate, but it’s the glassy conditions that make it a ripper for a weekend session. The period is nicely long, so the waves will have some shape and power. Afternoon gets a cross-onshore breeze, so plan a dawny.

Sunday the 13th is a nice clean morning with 3 ft south swell at a very long 12 seconds, cross-off northerly breeze. That’s a real gem for a point-style wave, though it might be a bit straight for a beach break – but still clean and fun. Energy is 296. Monday the 14th and Tuesday the 15th drop right off – small 2 ft and 1 ft, not worth the paddle.

Then, from Wednesday the 16th of September right through to the end of the period, the swell cranks up but it’s too big for this break. Wednesday morning is a massive 12 ft south swell at 12 seconds, energy at a whopping 6132, but the report says it’s too big for Shelley Beach – expert territory only, and the afternoon turns into a stormy cross-onshore mess. Thursday the 17th stays at 12 ft, strong energy, but the wind is cross or cross-on. Friday the 18th has a 10 ft south-southeast swell with a 14-second period – very long, very powerful – and a clean cross-off breeze in the morning, but again, that size is for experts only. The weekend of the 19th and 20th stays big and windy – 10 ft on Sunday the 20th with light cross-on wind, energy near 2000, but it’s too much for a fun paddle.

So, the honest call: the two true standouts are Monday morning the 7th of September with that 5 ft glassy clean south swell, and Saturday morning the 12th of September with 5 ft glassy conditions and a nice 11-second period. For the rest, the first week is mostly poor, and the second week is just too big and messy. Shelley Beach can be a fun wave when the wind plays nice, but this run has a few bright windows and a lot of noise. Crowds are “sometimes” here, so on those clean mornings you might have company, but it’s worth it.

Stay salty,
Rusty

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