Tallebudgera Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, it’s Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you – the next couple of weeks are looking pretty bleak for a proper surf at Tallebudgera. This is one of those stretches where you might be better off sorting out your gear or finding another hobby for a while, because the ocean isn't giving us much to work with.

Right now, and for the next few days, it’s all onshore junk. Friday afternoon kicks off with a cross-shore breeze at 16 mph, and a short-period 6-second swell showing 5 ft, but it’s a mess. The combined energy is weak at 206, and the water is a touch cooler than average at 69°F, but that’s about normal for this time of year. Saturday isn’t any better – cross-shore winds again, and while the swell bumps up a fraction to 6 ft on Saturday afternoon, the period stretches to 9 seconds, and the energy jumps to 466, it’s still cross-shore chop. Forget it. Sunday sees the swell drop slightly, but we’ve got cross-on winds and the water’s going lumpy. Not worth the paddle.

Now, here’s a little glimmer. Monday the 3rd of August, early morning. The wind swings around to the east-southeast at just 3 mph, and it’s glassy. Swell is 4 ft at 10 seconds from the SSE, with moderate energy at 548. It’s the first real chance we get, but it’s still only a 2 out of 10 for me – tide and other variables have to line up just right. If you’re desperate, that’s your window, but don’t expect much. Monday afternoon goes onshore again, so make the most of the morning if you can.

After that, it’s mostly small and poor. Tuesday the 4th has a tiny 3 ft glassy morning, but it’s short-period and weak. Wednesday and Thursday are similar – small, onshore, and messy. There’s a stretch here from Tuesday through to the end of the first week where you’re looking at ankle-biters and cross-chop. Not good.

The second week brings a change in wind direction, but not much else. Monday the 10th of August has offshore winds from the west-northwest at 12 mph, and the surf is only 2 ft. It’s clean, but there’s just no power. Tuesday the 11th is similar – offshore, 3 ft, but still very ordinary. We’re getting into that territory where it’s surfable but you’re honestly just bobbing around. The energy is weak to moderate at best, and the period is still short.

By the end of the 16-day window, around the 15th of August, we’ve got rain showers and onshore winds again, with the swell dropping to 2 ft and the energy at 75. That’s the weakest reading in the whole period.

Here’s the thing: Tallebudgera is a breakwater setup, fairly consistent, but it needs a bit of size and a clean window to shine. The optimum swell direction is from the SSE, and we do get that at times, but the wind just won’t cooperate. If you’re a beginner, the swell never really gets over 5 ft, so there’s no danger of it being too big, but you’d be surfing slop. For the experts, it’s frustrating because there’s just no push.

I’m not going to sugarcoat it – there are no standouts in this forecast. If I had to pick the *best* of a bad bunch, it’s the glassy Monday morning on the 3rd, and maybe that clean offshore morning on the 10th, but even then, they’re only worth a look if you’re truly jonesing. The breaks are inconsistent, and the conditions are poor.

So, keep the board in the car, but be ready to keep driving. It’s one of those blank runs that can happen around here. Forecasts can change, and it won’t stay this bad forever. But for now, I’d be finding something else to do.

Stay salty.

Rusty.

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