Shooting Gallery Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, I'm Rusty. Let's have a look at what's on the menu for the next two and a bit weeks down at Shooting Gallery.

Honestly, mate, I’ve gotta level with you – the forecast is a bit of a tough read. We’re looking at a long stretch of ordinary, cross-onshore wind and messy surf. The water temperature is 75°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so you might not need the thickest wetsuit, but that’s about the only silver lining for a while.

The first real chance of anything decent doesn't show up until Thursday, 22nd August in the afternoon. The swell drops to 2ft but the period stretches out to a very long 11 seconds, which is a proper groundswell, and the wave energy is moderate at 198. The problem is the wind is still cross-on from the north at 12 mph, so it’s not going to be clean. That long period swell is better suited to a point or reef, but with the onshore breeze, Shooting Gallery is going to be pretty ordinary.

The next day, Friday, 23rd August morning, we get a slight shift – the wind goes onshore from the NNE at 9 mph, which is a gentle breeze, but the swell is only 3ft from the north at 10 seconds. The energy is moderate at 219. It’s not great, but it’s a bit less horrible than the rest. The afternoon of that same day actually shows some promise: the swell direction swings to the NNW at 3ft with a very long period of 15 seconds, and the energy jumps to 553 (strong). The wind goes cross-shore from the NNW at 12 mph, creating a moderate cross-shore chop. That long period, consistent swell is the kind of thing that can clean up if the wind plays ball, but the cross-chop might still mess with it.

After that, it’s back to the same story – moderate to fresh cross-onshore winds and choppy, lumpy conditions all the way through the end of August and into September. The swell heights bounce around between 2ft and 7ft, but the wind is always onshore or cross-onshore, ruining any chance of clean faces. There’s a couple of days (like Sunday, 30th August morning) where the swell is 7ft from the north with an 11-second period and strong energy (881), and the wind is onshore at 19 mph. That’s messy, big, and blown out – only for the hardcore or those who love a wrestling match.

Basically, there’s no standout session in this 16-day window. Every single day gets the dreaded “poor surf conditions” tag. The consistent north-northeast wind is the main culprit, and it’s not letting up. For a spot that’s fairly exposed to swell, it’s a real shame. If you’ve got a kiteboard, this onshore wind and moderate to strong swell might actually be more interesting than paddling out. Otherwise, you’re best off waiting for a change in the weather pattern.

Rusty.

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