Shipwrecks Bay-Peaks Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. We’ve only got one spot on the radar for this outlook – Shipwrecks Bay-Peaks. It’s an advanced reef break that’s fairly consistent, and it’s sheltered from the swell, so it needs the right direction to really fire. The optimum swell is from the SW, and we’ve got that coming in.

The water temp is sitting about average for this time of year, nothing wild there.

Let’s talk surf. This is a solid run of swell, but we’ve got a bit of a rough start. Tuesday the 8th shows a big 10ft SW swell with a 14-second period pushing through, but it’s messy with a cross-off breeze and a combined energy of 4020 (moderate to strong). Not really the one for paddling out, it’s more of a looker. Wednesday the 9th drops off to 6ft, still SW, but that wind turns cross-on and light, keeping things a bit bumpy.

Thursday the 10th is where it starts to get interesting. The swell drops to 4ft, but the period jumps to 18 seconds – that’s proper long-period groundswell. The combined energy is 2060 (moderate). Wind is light cross-on, so a bit of texture, but the shape in the water from that long period will be smooth and powerful. It’s a pick for the patient surfer who knows where to sit.

Now, Friday the 11th is the standout. Friday afternoon we see a 18ft SW swell with an 18-second period. That’s massive, long-period groundswell. Combined energy is 21860 (very strong). Wind is a fresh cross-off, making it clean. This is big, expert-only territory – over 8ft, so not for the faint-hearted. The point and reef setup here will handle that long period beautifully; the beaches would be too straight. If you’ve got the cojones, this is the best on offer.

Saturday the 12th and Sunday the 13th keep the energy high – 15ft to 16ft, still SW, cross-off winds, combined energies over 10000. Solid, clean, heavy. Monday the 14th is still pumping at 13ft in the morning. It’s a run of proper deep-water groundswell.

Tuesday the 15th morning sees the swell ease to 10ft with a 14-second period, but the wind goes light cross-off, and the combined energy is 3555. The forecast flags it as excellent for experienced surfers. Clean, powerful, and a bit more manageable than the previous days. That’s the other standout if you want a slightly less gnarly session.

After that, it gets sketchy. Wednesday the 16th sees a big wind swing to WSW at 35 km/h (22 mph), dropping the period to 9 seconds – short-period and messy. Combined energy is 2037 but the quality is gone. Thursday the 17th has 15ft and 18ft swells but cross winds and lumpy chop, not worth it. Friday the 18th morning has 18ft with cross winds, then the afternoon gets blown out with fresh cross-onshore.

Saturday the 19th cleans up again – 12ft in the morning, cross-off, gentle breeze, combined energy 4334. Another clean, powerful day for experienced surfers. But by Sunday the 20th, the swell is small and choppy again, and Monday the 21st is a write-off with lumpy cross-onshore. Tuesday the 22nd and Wednesday the 23rd are small, weak, and not worth paddling for.

So, to sum it up: the first few days are average, but from Friday 11th through to Tuesday 15th is the real window – big, clean, heavy groundswell. The best on offer is Friday afternoon’s 18ft set, and the slightly more manageable Tuesday morning 10ft. After that, it’s a couple of days of cross-off clean-up on the 19th, then it’s done. Crowds are rare here, so you’ll have it almost to yourself, but only if you’re good enough to handle it.

Stay safe out there.
Rusty

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