Shooting Gallery Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it.

Look, I’ll be straight with you – this outlook is a tough one. We’ve got a 16-day window on the table, and for the first little while, things are going to be a grind. The first good surf recommendation doesn't show up until Sunday, August 23rd, and from there it’s a long stretch of messy, wind-affected surf with hardly a clean window in sight.

The first real chance we get is Shooting Gallery (a reef break) on Sunday morning, August 23rd. We’re looking at a small 3ft swell from the north, with a period of 10 seconds. The energy is moderate, reading 223. The water is a touch warmer than normal at 75°, with a 2° anomaly – it’s a bit warmer than usual for this time of year. The wind is a cross-on from the north at 9 mph, which is just enough to put a bit of chop on the surface. The rating is low, and honestly, it’s not great. It’s a marginal session at best, and the forecaster flags it as poor surf conditions. For a beginner, it’s small enough, but the cross-on breeze won’t help.

By Sunday afternoon, the swell bumps up to 4ft from the NNW, with a really long period of 14 seconds. That’s proper groundswell energy – the combined energy jumps to 823. The wind goes cross-shore from the NNW, and while it’s still a gentle breeze, it’s a slight improvement. The wave comment says "marginal surf forecast or questionable tide conditions," so it’s touch and go. This spot is a reef, and that long period swell will be lining up nicely, but the wind is not ideal.

Monday through Wednesday of that first week are all a write-off: 5ft to 6ft of NNW swell, but the wind is a persistent cross-on breeze from the north at 12-16 mph. It’s choppy and lumpy, and the wave comments are all "poor surf conditions." The period drops from 12 seconds down to 8 seconds by Wednesday, and the energy falls from 944 all the way down to 125. Not worth paddling out.

Thursday, August 27th, is a complete dud: tiny 3ft swell with a 5-second period, only 47 energy, and onshore wind. Forget it.

Friday, August 28th, sees a bit of a pulse with 6ft from the north, but the wind is onshore at 22 mph and the period is only 7 seconds. Lumpy, ugly, and 285 energy. Not for paddle surfing – this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Saturday, August 29th, is the only real standout in the whole 16 days, and it’s a big one for the experts. The morning brings a solid 8ft swell from the north, with a period of 11 seconds. The combined energy is a massive 1319 – that’s strong wave energy. The wind is onshore from the NNE at 22 mph, though, which is a real shame. The wave comment is "poor surf conditions." This is only for experts: 8ft is over the 8ft threshold for being too big for most, and with the wind howling onshore, it’s going to be a war zone. The crowd situation at Shooting Gallery is listed as "sometimes" busy, so you might have company, but with conditions this poor, it might be quiet. The swell direction is north, and the optimum is NNW, so it’s a bit off, but the size is there.

After that, it’s a slow fade. Sunday, August 30th, through to Monday, September 7th, is a long, drawn-out slide. Swell heights drop from 6ft down to 2ft, periods shorten, and the wind stays consistently cross-on or onshore from the north or NNE, mostly 12-19 mph. The energy readings fall from 636 down to 71 by the end. Every single one of these sessions is flagged as poor surf conditions. No standouts, no clean windows. It’s a blank run, and it’s pretty normal for this area when the wind sets in like this.

So, if you’re looking for the best of a bad bunch, Sunday morning, August 23rd, is the most accessible, but it’s small and choppy. Saturday, August 29th, is the biggest, but it’s for experts only and the wind is a mess. For the rest, save your energy. Forecasts can change, but right now, it’s a couple of weeks of frustration.

Rusty.

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