Sleaford Bay (Wreck Beach) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, let’s talk some real surf talk. Water temp is sitting at 60°F, which is pretty much normal for this stretch of the year – no surprises there. But the swell story over the next couple of weeks is a wild ride, and you gotta pick your moments.

Right now, we’re looking at a solid 12ft of SW swell, but the wind is cross-on from the SSE at 15 mph, so it’s all chopped up and ugly. Not the kind of day you’re getting excited about. The energy is strong, clocking in at 4981, but it’s wasted on poor conditions.

Wednesday bumps up to 12ft with a 15-second period, but the wind is still cross-shore. It’s cleaner in the morning but gets worse by the afternoon. This one’s too big and too messy for most – you’d need to be a proper charger just to think about it.

Thursday eases off to 8ft in the morning, then 7ft in the arvo, with cross-off winds from the ENE. It’s cleaner, but it’s only marginal – you’d get some fun ones but you’d be working for them.

Friday morning is the first real gem. The swell drops to 6ft but the period is long at 17 seconds – proper groundswell. Offshore winds from the NNW at 15 mph keep it clean, and that longer period gives it some real push and shape. The energy is moderate at 1984, but with that offshore wind and decent size, this is the pick of the first week. Not huge, but quality.

Saturday backs right off – 4ft in the morning, 3ft in the arvo – and while the wind is still offshore, it’s just small and weak. You’d be on a log, and even then it’s a bit desperate.

Sunday picks back up a bit – 4ft in the morning, but the wind swings cross-shore and it’s lumpy. By the afternoon, the swell bumps to 7ft but the period drops to 11 seconds and it’s messy. Not worth it.

Monday is rough – 8ft in the morning with onshore winds, then 8ft with cross-on winds in the arvo. It’s all over the shop and not surfable.

Then we hit the big one. Tuesday the 22nd – this is when it gets serious. The morning has 12ft of SSW swell with a 15-second period, but the wind is howling cross-shore from the east at 19 mph, so it’s lumpy and ugly. The afternoon cleans up a bit with 10ft and cross-off winds, but it’s still way over head – this is expert territory only, and even then, it’s a beast.

Wednesday the 23rd is where it all comes together. The morning is glassy – literally zero wind – and there’s 7ft of SW swell at 15 seconds. That’s clean, powerful, and pushing through. This is the standout of the whole run. The energy is moderate at 2061, but with glassy conditions and that long-period swell, this is the one you circle on the calendar. It’s still a solid size, so you need to know what you’re doing, but it’s the best conditions on offer.

After that, it fades again. Thursday the 24th is only 6ft to 7ft with cross-on winds, and Friday the 25th is smaller again with offshore winds but only 5ft – not bad, but nothing special.

Then the last weekend kicks back up. Saturday the 26th sees a serious pulse – 15ft in the morning, 13ft in the arvo – but the wind is all over the place, and with 18-second periods, this is just enormous. The energy readings are off the charts at 11678 and 19438, but this is way too big for anyone but the most seasoned chargers, and even then, it’s sketchy. Sunday the 27th drops to 12ft but the wind goes straight onshore, so it’s unsurfable garbage.

From Monday the 28th, it just gets worse – 10ft down to 5ft by Tuesday the 29th, but the wind is onshore and the conditions are poor across the board. Wednesday the 30th is more of the same – 6ft and 6ft with cross-on winds – no good.

So, if you’re looking at the whole 16 days, there are only two real windows worth getting wet for: Friday the 18th with that offshore wind and long-period swell, and Wednesday the 23rd with the glassy morning and solid 7ft. Both are for experienced surfers, but they’re the cleanest, most powerful waves on offer. Everything else is either too big, too messy, or too small to bother with.

Stay patient, watch the wind, and hit that Wednesday the 23rd if you can. That’s the one.

Rusty.

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