Shipwrecks Bay-Peaks Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Righto, let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for Shipwrecks Bay-Peaks. This is a solid reef setup that’s fairly consistent, and it’s sheltered from the swell, which means it grabs a lot of the SW groundswell that rolls through.

We’ve got a pretty quiet start to the outlook. The first couple of days are a bit of a write-off with poor conditions and marginal surf, so don’t bother paddling out on Monday the 13th or Tuesday the 14th. The swell is there but the wind is messy and the surf quality is just not there.

The first real glimmer of something decent shows up on Wednesday the 15th. The morning sees a 1.8m (about 6ft) SW swell with a long 18-second period, which is quality groundswell, but the wind is cross-on and light, so it’s not perfect. The combined energy is strong (3161), so there’s plenty of push, but the wind keeps it from being a standout. The afternoon bumps up to 3.0m (about 10ft) from the same direction, but the wind stays cross-on, so it’s still a bit of a battle.

Thursday the 16th is similar – big 3.0m (10ft) SW swell with a 16-second period, but the wind is cross-on or cross-shore, giving it a messy feel. The energy is strong (4004 and 3784), but it’s not clean enough to get excited about.

Now, Friday the 17th is where it starts to come together. The morning has 2.3m (about 8ft) SW swell with a 15-second period, and the wind swings offshore from the SSE at 10 km/h (6 mph). That’s clean. The afternoon is even better, with 2.5m (about 8ft) SW swell, still offshore wind, and the energy is strong (2597). This is a proper session for experienced surfers – the size is pushing into the expert zone, but the conditions are excellent.

Saturday the 18th is the real standout. The morning is glassy with a 3.0m (10ft) SW swell and a 14-second period, and the energy is very strong (3813). The wind is glassy from the east, so it’s absolutely clean. The afternoon holds a 3.0m (10ft) SW swell with offshore winds. This is the best of the first week. The water temperature is about 15°C (60°F), which is pretty normal for the time of year, no anomaly worth mentioning.

Sunday the 19th is another cracker. The morning has a 3.5m (about 12ft) SW swell with an 18-second period – that’s a very long period groundswell, so it’s going to be powerful and well-shaped, especially on this reef. The energy is very strong (6930). The wind is offshore from the SSE. It’s big, so only for the experienced crew, but it’s clean and organised. The afternoon is glassy with the same 3.5m (12ft) size. This is your second standout.

After that, the surf drops off a bit. Monday the 20th and Tuesday the 21st see the swell drop to 2-2.5m (7-8ft), but the wind picks up to 25 km/h (16 mph) from the east, making it a bit choppy. It’s clean enough for the cross-off wind, but the energy is moderate (1487-2930) and the quality is marginal.

The following week, from the 22nd to the 25th, it’s smaller and clean enough, but nothing to write home about. Swell drops to 1-1.8m (4-6ft), and the wind stays moderate from the southeast. The energy is weak to moderate (444-1194). It’s a quiet period.

Then we get a nice return to form on Sunday the 26th. The morning has 2.2m (about 7ft) SW swell with a 17-second period, offshore wind from the south at 15 km/h (9 mph), and strong energy (2981). The afternoon is similar with 2.1m (about 7ft) and offshore winds. This is a very good session, clean and solid.

The last couple of days, the 27th and 28th, taper off again. The 27th has 2-1.8m (5-6ft) SW swell with offshore winds, good conditions, and the 28th is glassy with a small 1.1m (4ft) swell. It’s a mellow way to end the outlook.

So, overall, the standout sessions are the glassy Saturday morning the 18th with 3.0m (10ft) SW swell, and the big, clean Sunday morning the 19th with 3.5m (12ft) SW swell and offshore winds. If you’re an experienced surfer, those are the ones to aim for. The crowds are listed as “rare” here, so you’ll likely have it to yourself.

Rusty.

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