Stent Road Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let me tell you what's happening with the surf over the next couple of weeks. It's a bit of a mixed bag, so let's get into it.

First up, the start of the period is a bit average. The only spot in the mix is Stent Road (reef and point). It's an advanced wave, known for being consistent and often crowded. The good news is it's exposed to the swell, and the optimum direction is from the SW, which we do see. However, for the next several days, the conditions just aren't cooperating. We've got cross-onshore winds and choppy seas making things messy. There's some decent swell energy, like midday Monday 3rd August when the combined energy hits 8517 (strong), but with a fresh cross-onshore wind, it's a write-off.

The first real glimmer is Tuesday afternoon, 4th August. The wind swings to a cross-offshore from the SE, a gentle breeze at 9 mph. The water temp is about 58°, which is pretty normal for this time of year. The swell drops a bit to 8 ft from the WSW, with a long 15-second period, giving it shape but those long gaps between sets. Combined energy is still sizeable at 3882 (strong). Looks clean, but the score is marginal, so it's one to watch rather than go all out.

There's a quiet stretch after that. Wednesday 5th August is clean with the cross-off wind, but the swell is down around 5 ft to 6 ft. The bottom drops out after that. From Thursday 6th to Saturday 8th August, we're in a very small window – swells barely over 3 ft, some glassy moments but not much to ride. This is a real lull.

The build starts again on the 9th. Sunday morning shows 4 ft at 15 seconds from the WSW with clean conditions (cross-off wind) and the comment says "very good". That's a promising start to that phase.

But the standout for the whole period, hands down, is Thursday 13th August. The morning session, in particular: a clean 7 ft of W swell with a 12-second period, light winds from the NNE (cross-off and almost glassy). For advanced surfers, this is a gem. The combined energy is 1870 (strong), and the description says "excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers". It's still big at 7 ft, so beginners should stay on the sand, but for the crew that can handle it, this is the best on offer. The afternoon follows up with a solid 6 ft and similar clean conditions.

After that, the wind gets messy again. Friday 14th packs some rain and gusty winds, and the following weekend goes downhill fast. Sunday 16th August sees a big 12 ft WNW swell but with onshore winds – not great. Monday 17th is a write-off with strong winds and lumpy seas.

So, to sum it up: sit through the early week mediocrity, mark your calendars for that Thursday 13th August, and maybe have a paddle on the Tuesday and Sunday before that for some quiet, clean waves if you're not fussy about size.

Rusty.

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