Swanage Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, I’m Rusty. Let’s talk about Swanage. I’ll be straight with you: the next 16 days are a tough watch for surfers. There’s a massive gap from now until the last week of August, and even then, the conditions are a real battle. The first surf worth mentioning doesn’t kick off until Saturday 29th August morning, and before that, it’s just flat, choppy, or blown out. The entire period after that is patchy, with long gaps of nothing.

The water temperature is sitting at 69°F, which is a massive 7° warmer than normal for this time of year. That’s very unusual, so you’ll be in boardies or a shorty for sure.

The first real action comes on Saturday 29th August. The morning brings a clean, offshore wind from the W at 18 mph, with swell from the WSW at 6 ft, but the period is a short 6 seconds. The combined energy is moderate (280). This is a bit punchy and short-period, so it’ll be dumpy and fat. It’s doable for stronger paddlers, but beginners might find 6 ft too much. The afternoon picks up to 7 ft with the same short period, but the wind becomes cross-offshore from the WSW at 22 mph, keeping it clean but a bit lumpy. The energy is strong (330). This is the best of a poor run, but it’s not a standout.

Sunday 30th has nothing solid. Monday 31st August morning has a clean 4 ft swell from the SW with an 8-second period, and a strong offshore wind from the WSW at 28 mph. The energy is moderate (256). The waves will be clean, but that wind is strong, making paddling out a mission. The afternoon is similar with a 5 ft SW swell, 9-second period, and a 25 mph offshore wind. Energy is strong (330). It’s clean but a real grunt to get into.

Tuesday 1st September drops off to 2 ft with a 9-second period in the afternoon. The wind is offshore from the W at 15 mph, giving clean waves. Energy is moderate (174). It’s small but tidy.

Then there’s a big gap of flatness from 2nd September through to 4th September. The next thing is Saturday 5th September morning. A 7 ft swell from the SW with a 6-second period, cross-offshore wind from the WSW at 15 mph, and strong energy (402). That’s big and short-period – messy, fat, and only for experienced surfers. The afternoon kicks up to 8 ft from the SW with a 7-second period, a cross-offshore wind from the SW at 28 mph, and very strong energy (556). This is heavy, wind-affected, and strictly for experts. The setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Sunday 6th September is flat and glassy in the afternoon, with a tiny 0.3 ft, 17-second period swell. The wind is calm. It’s a beautiful day for a swim, not a surf.

The last few days, 7th September, see a small 1 ft to 1 ft, very long-period groundswell (15-16 seconds) from the SW, but the wind is onshore from the ESE at 15-18 mph. The energy is weak (61-74). The long period will make the waves weak and straight-breaking on a beach setup. Not worth it.

Honestly, the best on offer is Saturday 29th August morning, but it’s a blunt, short-period swell with a strong offshore wind. Nothing here is a true standout. It’s a bleak run for Swanage.

Rusty.

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