Shipwrecks Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, I’m Rusty, and I’ve been staring at the charts for your local patch, and I’ve gotta be straight with you: the next 16 days are a flat, windy mess. There’s a stingy little run of swell, but it’s never really on because the wind is always cross or cross-on, and the quality is just junk. You’re looking at a long, frustrating gap with no proper surf to get excited about.

Let’s start at the beginning. The first record kicks off on Tuesday, 4th August. Shipwrecks is a reef and point break that’s fairly consistent, but from the get-go, it’s a write-off. Tuesday morning has a tiny 1ft swell from the SSW, with a period of 13 seconds, but it’s cross-on from the south at 9 mph, and the combined energy is weak (67). The water temp is about average for the time of year, but the surf is just a rippled, choppy mess. Tuesday afternoon doesn’t get any better—still 1ft, still cross-shore, and the wind picks up to 12 mph.

Wednesday, 5th August, sees a slight bump to 1ft with a 14-second period, but the wind is still cross-on in the morning (6 mph from the south) and cross-shore in the afternoon (12 mph from the southwest). The energy is moderate (106) but the wave comment says it all: “poor surf conditions.” Thursday, 6th August, the swell stays at 1ft, but the period stretches to 18 seconds—a real groundswell. The energy jumps to 208 in the morning, and the wind turns onshore from the ESE at 9 mph. Still, the comment is “poor surf conditions.” It’s frustrating because you can see the energy building, but the wind just kills it.

Friday, 7th August, we get a bit more size—3ft from the SSW, with a long 18-second period, and the energy is strong (452). The morning has onshore wind from the SE at 6 mph, so it’s not clean. The afternoon is cross-shore at 9 mph. Still “poor surf conditions.” The pattern keeps repeating: a bit of swell, but the wind is never right. Saturday, 8th August, is the first day to get a “marginal” rating (score of 1 out of 10) in the morning, with 3ft, 16-second period, and light cross-on wind from the ESE at 6 mph. The energy is strong (434), but it’s still cross-on and small ripples. It’s not worth paddling out for.

The second week starts to look a bit more promising, but it’s still a hard sell. Sunday, 9th August, through to Thursday, 13th August, the swell bounces between 1ft and 3ft, with periods mostly 13–20 seconds, and energy readings ranging from 228 to 341. The wind is always on, cross, or cross-on. The only real standout in the whole 16 days is Thursday, 13th August afternoon, when you get a 1ft swell from the SSW with a very long 20-second period, and the energy is moderate (341). The wind is cross-shore from the SSW at 9 mph, and it’s rated “marginal.” But at 1ft, it’s knee-high at best, and that long period at a reef and point break like Shipwrecks means the waves will be fat and straight-running. It’s not going to be a day to remember.

Friday, 14th August, brings the biggest energy of the whole period—687 in the afternoon, with a 3ft swell from the SSW, 17-second period. The wind is cross-on from the south at 9 mph, and it’s still “marginal.” The size is there, but the wind is fouling it. For a beginner, 3ft is fine, but it’s not clean. Saturday, 15th August, energy drops to 513, and the wind is onshore or cross-shore all day. The pattern continues through to Wednesday, 19th August, with the last record showing 2ft, 16-second period, and gentle cross-on wind, energy at 288. It’s all poor.

So, the best on offer? Honestly, there’s nothing that jumps out as a true standout. If I had to pick the least awful moment, it’d be Friday, 14th August afternoon, when the energy peaks at 687 and the swell is 3ft. But that cross-on wind from the south at 9 mph is going to put a chop on it. Shipwrecks is a reef and point, so it might handle the wind a bit better than a beach break, but it’s still marginal. The water temp is average for August, so no drama there.

Because of the persistent cross and cross-on winds, consistent small swell, and the fact that this is a reef and point setup, it’s looking more interesting for a kite session than a paddle session. The wind is blowing, but the waves are just too messy.

Rusty.

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