Shipwrecks Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, I'm Rusty. Let's have a look at what's on offer around here.

Alright, so we've only got one spot on the radar: Shipwrecks. It's a reef and point break, fairly consistent, so it's a known quantity when things line up. The water temp is sitting at 88°, which is a whopping 6° warmer than normal for this time of year – that's very unusual, so you might not need the thickest wetsuit.

Now, the next 16 days start with a bit of a flat spell. For the first two weeks, from Friday the 14th of August right through to the end of the month, it's mostly a write-off. The swell is small, with heights around 2ft to 4ft, and the winds are mostly onshore or cross-onshore, keeping things messy. The combined swell energy is low, mostly in the 200 to 700 range. There are a few windows of light cross-shore wind on Friday morning and afternoon, but the wave comment calls it marginal, so not a proper call.

There's a big jump in energy around Sunday the 23rd of August. Swell bumps up to 13ft to 15ft from the SSE and S, with combined energy over 6000 to 8400 – that's strong to very strong energy. But the wind is cross-onshore and there's a risk of thunderstorms, so it's going to be choppy and messy. This size is only for experts – over 8ft is not for beginners. It's a marginal call at best.

That big energy lingers into Monday the 24th with 10ft to 8ft swell, but again, cross-onshore wind and poor conditions. After that, it fades back to small, weak surf for the rest of the month.

The only bright spot comes right at the end of the period, on Friday the 28th of August in the afternoon. The wind swings to light offshore from the NW at 6 mph, and the swell is 3ft from the SSW with a period of 14 seconds. Combined energy is 638 – moderate. The comment says "expect good surf conditions," which is clean. It's a long-period groundswell, which means better shaped waves but longer gaps between sets. For a reef and point like Shipwrecks, that's actually a positive – it'll set up nicely.

So, the standout is that Friday afternoon session at Shipwrecks. It's not a huge swell, but with offshore wind and a decent period, it could be a clean, fun wave. Just keep in mind it's a long-range call, so keep an eye on it.

Other than that, it's a pretty dry run. A few of the days are poor, but with the spot being fairly consistent, it won't stay flat forever. Forecasts can always change.

This is Rusty, signing off.

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