Shipwrecks Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ll be straight with you – if you’re looking for a classic surf session at Shipwrecks over the next couple of weeks, you’re gonna have to be patient and pick your moments. It’s a pretty bleak run to start, with a whole lot of onshore wind and messy conditions. The first real chance for anything decent doesn’t show up until the end of the first week, and then things get interesting, but only for the brave.

The whole forecast starts off rough. Saturday the 22nd and Sunday the 23rd are write-offs – tiny 2ft to 2ft SSW swell, but with onshore and cross-onshore winds, the combined energy is weak, and it’s just poor. You’d be better off doing something else. Monday the 24th sees a little more size, 4ft from the S, but the wind is still messy, and while the energy picks up a bit, it’s still only marginal at best. Tuesday and Wednesday the 25th and 26th? Same story – small, onshore, poor. A real grind.

Finally, Thursday the 27th afternoon gives us a little glimmer. The swell is only 2ft from the SSW, but the period is a very long 18 seconds, and the wind swings to a cross-offshore 16 mph from the WSW. That’s clean. The energy is moderate. It’s not big, but for a sneaky late arvo session, it might be the best of a bad bunch early on.

Friday the 28th afternoon is similar – 4ft SSW swell, 18-second period, but the wind is a light cross-onshore, so it’s not as clean. The energy is getting up there. Still, it’s a marginal call.

Now, the real standout comes in the second week. It’s a long way out, so keep that in mind. Thursday the 3rd of September morning, we’ve got a solid 8ft SSW swell, 14-second period, and the wind is a light cross-onshore from the SSW at just 6 mph. The combined energy is strong. This is big, clean wave energy. But listen – 8ft is expert territory, so if you’re not solid, stay out of the way. The wind is light, so it’ll be glassy on the sets. The swell direction from the SSW is perfect for the optimum S direction at Shipwrecks, so the reef and point setup should handle it well.

Friday the 4th of September morning is even bigger – 10ft from the SSW, 16-second period, and the wind is light from the SE, so it’s unknown but likely clean. The energy is massive. This is a serious, expert-only groundswell. The long period means long lulls and powerful sets, so paddling out will be a mission, but the waves themselves will be proper. The afternoon is similar but with a cross-shore wind, so a bit lumpier.

Saturday the 5th of September drops off a bit in quality. The swell is still 12ft, but the period is short (9 seconds) and the wind is onshore in the morning and cross-onshore in the arvo. The energy is still strong, but it’s going to be a messy, wind-affected beast. Not ideal.

After that, Sunday the 6th of September sees the swell drop back to 5ft with a cross-onshore wind, so it’s back to poor conditions.

So, the best bet on offer? It’s that Thursday 3rd September morning session. The numbers line up: a solid 8ft SSW groundswell, light cross-onshore wind, and strong energy. It’s an expert-only wave, but for those who can handle it, it’s the standout. The Friday 4th morning is even bigger, but the wind is a bit more of a question mark. Either way, the second week has the only real punch.

Crowds at Shipwrecks are often, so expect company if it’s good. The water temp is about average for the time of year, so no dramas there.

Rusty.

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