Tallebudgera Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. We’ve got a long look ahead at Tallebudgera, and I’ll be honest with you, the first week is a bit of a write-off. We’re looking at a stretch of poor surf and ordinary conditions, mainly small, weak, and messy. The water temp is sitting at 69°, which is basically average for this time of year, so nothing strange there.

The first real sniff of something surfable doesn’t come until the Saturday morning of the 1st of August. We’ll see a jump to 10ft swell from the SSE, with a period of 9 seconds and a combined energy of 1205 (moderate wave energy). Winds are out of the SSW at 12 mph, giving us a cross-offshore breeze that’s keeping things clean. This is a big, powerful swell for Tallebudgera, though. At 10ft, it’s firmly in the expert-only zone. The conditions are clean, but this is a breakwater, so it’s going to be heavy and demanding. That Saturday morning is the best on offer in the whole period; it’s a standout for size and clean conditions, but only for the experienced crew.

After that, the swell stays solid through Sunday the 2nd and Monday the 3rd, with 7ft to 8ft waves from the SSE. The wind stays moderate, but it shifts cross-shore, chopping things up a bit. It’s still surfable for the confident surfer, but the quality drops off compared to that Saturday morning clean window.

Then we head into a big, raw spell. From the 4th of August through to the 6th, we’re looking at a serious pulse of energy. The swell pumps up to 12ft and then 13ft, with periods stretching to 12 and 13 seconds. The combined energy readings go through the roof, hitting 7602 and 10670 (strong to very strong wave energy). This is full-on, groundswell energy. The problem is that the wind is cross-onshore, and the wave comment says it’s simply too big for this break. On the 6th of August, the wind and tide are noted as favorable, but the swell is predicted to be too big for Tallebudgera. This is a setup for the experts only, and even then, it’s going to be a washing machine. The long period (12-13 seconds) means these swells will be grinding, but at a beach/breakwater setup, that can make for shifty, close-outy waves.

As we roll into the 7th of August, the swell drops back to 10ft from the SE with a long 13-second period, and the wind lightens up. The scores are still low, but the conditions are a bit more manageable. It’s a long way out, so take this as a promising but less certain prospect.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a bust. The clear standout is the morning of the 1st of August (Saturday) for the clean, big-wave crew. The rest of the second week is a heavy, raw affair that’s really only for the hardcore, and even then, it might be too much. If you’re looking for a cruise, this isn’t your window.

Rusty.

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