Stela Maris Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty, and I’m looking at the forecast for Stela Maris. The water’s sitting at a warm 79°, which is pretty much spot on for this time of year, no real anomaly to speak of. The next couple of weeks are a mixed bag, but we’ve got a couple of windows that’ll get you out there.

First up, Thursday the 6th of August. The morning is the pick of the first few days – we’ve got a 4ft swell from the ESE, with a period of 8 seconds and a combined energy of 206 (moderate). The wind is light and offshore from the NW, so the surface will be clean. It’s not a monster, but it’s surfable and the conditions are good. Come afternoon, the wind swings onshore and it’s pretty much game over for the rest of that day.

The 7th, Friday morning, has a glassy surface with a tiny 3ft swell from the east, period of 7 seconds. Energy is 150 (weak). It’s surfable, but very ordinary. The afternoon gets chopped out by a strong onshore wind.

Saturday the 8th morning has a bit more energy – 4ft from the east, period 7 seconds, energy up to 333 (moderate). The wind is cross-shore, so it’s a bit messy but you could still find a couple. The afternoon is a write-off again.

From Sunday the 9th through to Wednesday the 13th, it’s a real slog. The ESE wind is cross-onshore or onshore every day, blowing at 9 to 22 mph. The swell hangs around 3ft to 5ft, but the period never gets above 7 seconds, so it’s just weak, choppy, and lumpy. The energy is moderate (between 135 and 416), but with that wind, it’s not worth paddling out. By the 13th, the swell jumps to 6ft from the SSE, but the wind is still a problem. This is more of a kite-surfing setup than a paddle surfer’s dream.

Now, we get a glimmer of hope. On Thursday the 14th of August, things shift. The morning sees a glassy surface with a 2ft swell from the south, but the period jumps to 12 seconds – that’s a proper groundswell. The energy is 255 (moderate). The wave quality will be clean, but that 2ft is small. It’s a long period, so it’ll be better at a point or reef, but Stela Maris is exposed, so it might break a bit straight on the beach. It’s the best surf on offer so far.

The next standout is Saturday the 15th of August. The morning has a 3ft swell from the east, with a very long period of 13 seconds and a strong energy of 601. The wind is light cross-onshore, so it’s a bit bumpy, but that long period has some serious push. Again, that long period can make a beach break a bit wonky, but there’ll be power in the water. The afternoon is onshore and messy.

Looking further out, Monday the 18th of August sees a 7ft swell from the SE, period 8 seconds, energy 650 (strong). The wind is onshore, so it’s blown out. Tuesday the 19th has a 8ft SE swell, period 8 seconds, energy 773 (strong) – again, onshore wind. That’s too big for beginners and windy, so only for the experts if you’re desperate.

Wednesday the 20th of August morning has a 6ft swell from the SSE with a very long period of 13 seconds and a massive energy of 1135 (very strong). The wind is cross-onshore, so it’s lumpy, but that’s a lot of ocean moving. If you’re an expert and can handle the chop, it’s a big, powerful groundswell. The long period means it’ll be lining up better at a reef, but Stela Maris is exposed, so expect it to be a bit walled-up.

The rest of the fortnight is just more onshore wind and weak, short-period swell. The best windows are the mornings of the 6th, 14th, and 15th of August. The 15th is probably the pick for a bit of size and serious period, even with the slight cross-chop, but the 14th is the cleanest. Keep an eye on that long-range stuff for the 20th – it’s powerful but windy.

Rusty.

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