Swanage Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s brewing for Swanage over the next couple of weeks.

Honestly, it’s a tough stretch. We’re looking at a pretty long gap with no proper surf on offer. The first surf worth mentioning doesn’t show up until late in the period, and even then it’s not for everyone. The first week and a half is mostly flat or tiny, with a lot of wind messing things up. We’ve got a solid run of *poor surf conditions* right through, so don’t be in a rush to wax up.

The water temp at the start is sitting at 69°, which is a massive 7° warmer than usual for this time of year. That’s very unusual, so you’ll be comfortable in a shorty or even just boardies if you’re hardy.

The first bit of real swell energy shows up on Monday the 24th of August, with a 5ft swell from the ESE, but it’s onshore wind at 22 mph and the combined energy is moderate at 132. It’s messy, and the wave comment says *poor surf conditions*. Not worth paddling out for.

The next spike comes on Friday the 28th of August afternoon. We’ve got 7ft of swell from the WSW, but the period is short at 6 seconds, and the wind is a strong 28 mph cross-off. The combined energy is strong at 312. That’s a lot of power, but it's raw and bumpy. The break is Swanage, which is very sheltered and rarely breaks, so this one is a maybe for experts only, but with that wind, it’s likely more interesting for kite surfing than a paddle session.

The most promising window is the weekend of the 29th and 30th of August. Saturday morning the 29th, we get a 3ft swell from the SW with a 7-second period, and offshore wind from the W at 16 mph. That’s clean, with moderate energy at 106. Saturday afternoon holds at 4ft from the SW with a 9-second period, and combined energy up to 186. Sunday the 30th is similar, with 4ft from the SSW and 8-second period, and the wind is cross-off. The energy is 192 in the morning, climbing to 283 in the afternoon. That’s the best of the outlook. The waves won’t be huge, but the offshore and cross-off winds will keep the surface clean. Keep in mind, Swanage rarely breaks, so if it’s on, it’ll be a quiet session. Crowds are only sometimes an issue here.

Then we get another gap. The next ripple comes on the 2nd of September, with 6ft on Wednesday morning and 7ft on the afternoon, but it’s onshore wind from the ESE, and the wave comment is *poor surf conditions*. The 7ft swell has very strong energy at 376, but with onshore wind, it’s a washing machine. Not for beginners.

The 4th of September sees 6ft from the SW with a short 6-second period, and cross-shore winds. The energy is strong at over 300, but again, it’s lumpy.

The *best on offer* is that Saturday the 29th and Sunday the 30th of August. It’s not a classic, but it’s the cleanest we’ll see. A 3ft to 4ft SW swell, with offshore or cross-off winds, and clean surfaces. If you’re a local, that’s your window. For the rest of the forecast, it’s a waiting game.

Rusty.

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