Noosa - Sunshine Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, I’m Rusty, and I’ve been staring at the charts for your stretch of the coast. Look, I’ll be straight with you – the next couple of weeks are a mixed bag, and you’re gonna have to be patient. The first week is mostly a write-off, but there’s a little window of hope sneaking in around the second week if you’ve got the time.

The forecast kicks off on Friday the 31st of July, but it’s nothing to write home about. We’ve got a 3ft SSE swell with a short, wobbling 6-second period, and the wind is a cross SSE breeze at 12 mph. The combined energy of all swells is weak (164), and with that wind, it’s just messy. Friday afternoon and through the weekend, things actually get worse – the swell bumps up to 4ft to 5ft, but the period stays short, and the wind is either cross or cross-onshore, making it choppy and poor. The water temp is sitting at 69°, which is pretty average for this time of year – nothing unusual.

The first real standout, and the only one I’d call truly good, shows up on the 14th of August. That’s the Friday morning at Sunshine Beach. The swell is 3ft from the east with a nice 11-second period, giving it some shape. The wind is offshore out of the west at 6 mph, and the combined energy is solid (238). It’s going to be clean, with lined-up waves. The water anomaly is normal, so don’t expect any surprises there. This is your best bet for a proper surf.

Another decent option pops up on the 12th of August, the Wednesday afternoon. The same east swell at 3ft with a 11-second period, and the wind is offshore from the west at 12 mph. It’ll be clean and glassy, with moderate energy (231). It’s not a massive day, but it’ll be fun on a longboard or a fish.

Everything else in the first week is a struggle. The 4th of August has a glassy morning with 2ft from the SE, but the period is short and the energy is low (150). It’s surfable for a beginner, but nothing special. The 11th of August has a small 4ft SSE swell on the Tuesday morning, but the period is short (6 seconds) and the wind is cross-offshore, so it’s clean but average. The afternoon of the 11th gets a jump in period to 13 seconds and clean wind, but it’s only 2ft, so you’re looking at small, clean lines.

Look, the crowds at Sunshine Beach can show up sometimes, so if you’re heading out for that Friday the 14th, get in early. The break is a beach break, so it’s not picky, but with an east swell and offshore wind, it’ll be shaping up nicely right in front of the main car park.

The rest of the days are either too small, too windy, or too short-period to get excited about. The 9th of August has a glassy morning with 2ft, but it’s barely a ripple. If you’re a beginner, you might get a few ankle-biters, but that’s about it.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a dud – you’re better off cleaning your board. The second week from the 11th onwards starts to show some life, but the 14th is the clear winner. Get out there on that Friday morning and you’ll be rewarded with clean, chest-high waves. Otherwise, grab a coffee and watch the horizon.

Rusty.

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