The Boiler Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, I’m Rusty. Let’s talk about what’s happening at The Boiler over the next couple of weeks.

To be straight with you, the surf forecast is a long, quiet run with very little to get excited about. The water is sitting at 69° – that’s a whopping 8° warmer than usual for this time of year, which is really unusual. It’s like a warm bath out there, but that’s about the only thing that’s out of the ordinary.

From Friday 14 August right through until late on Thursday 27 August, the swell is tiny and weak. We’re looking at waves mostly between 0.3 ft and 5 ft, with combined swell energy values that are all under 200 (most are below 100, with the highest reading only 159 on the 19th). That’s weak energy, no doubt about it. The swell direction is consistently from the WSW or W, but the periods are short – mostly 4 to 9 seconds – so the waves are going to be soft and gutless. The surf quality is poor throughout this stretch. There’s a morning on Sunday 16 August that goes glassy (1.0 ft, WSW, 7s), which would be pretty, but you’d be struggling to get a ride. The Boiler is an inconsistent reef break, and it’s not firing at all.

The wind does offer some cleaner windows, especially on the mornings of the 15th, 21st, and 22nd with offshore or cross-off breezes, and the 26th morning has a light offshore too. But the swell just isn’t there to back it up. The water’s warm, but it’s a waiting game.

Then, at the very end of the forecast, things get serious. On Friday 28 August morning, the swell jumps to 13 ft from the WSW with a 12-second period, and the combined energy hits 4607 – that’s very strong energy. The wind is offshore from the ENE at 25 mph, and the conditions are described as clean. The afternoon pushes even bigger: 15 ft, same direction, period 12 seconds, energy 5334. Saturday 29 August morning is still big at 12 ft (WSW, 10s, energy 2205) with a moderate offshore from the NNE. This is a true standout for expert surfers only – the swell is well over 8 ft, so it’s too big for beginners and even intermediates. The long period (12s) means it’s a groundswell, and at a reef break like The Boiler, that can produce some powerful, well-shaped waves. But it’s a long way off, so keep an eye on the forecasts. The afternoon of the 29th drops to 10 ft with a cross-off wind, but the quality is rated as marginal.

So, the best on offer is clearly the big swell on Friday 28 August and Saturday 29 August. If you’re an experienced surfer and you can handle heavy, clean surf, that’s your window. The rest of the 16 days is a flat, quiet stretch with nothing to recommend.

Rusty.

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