The Core Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then, let’s have a look at what we’ve got for The Core.

First up, you need to know that this spot is an exposed NE-break, so it’s going to suck up whatever east-to-north swell that comes its way. It’s a beginner-friendly wave, but it’s inconsistent, so when it does fire, you gotta be on it. The water temperature is about average for the time of year, nothing weird going on there.

The big news is a solid pulse of easterly groundswell, and I mean a *big* one, with the combined energy hitting 2654 (strong to very strong). This is a very long-period groundswell at 18 seconds, coming from the east, so it’s going to have that deep ocean push. That kind of period can make a beach break a bit too straight, but The Core can handle it. Tuesday morning (25 August) sees that 7ft easterly swell with a light cross-shore NNW breeze. It’s surfable, but Tuesday afternoon the wind swings cross-on and the swell jumps to 8ft, so it gets a bit messy.

But Wednesday 26 August... that’s the standout. The swell drops slightly to 6ft from the ENE, period still a meaty 14 seconds, and the wind goes glassy – totally clean. That’s your window for the best waves. Morning is glass, afternoon is glass again, with the swell building back to 7ft. Pure silence on the water, just you and the set waves. This is quality for experienced surfers, so if you’re a beginner, 6–7ft might be a bit much.

Thursday 27 August holds that 8ft NE swell with 12-second period, and the wind stays glass in the morning and goes cross-off in the afternoon. That’s another really good day, but the break will be pushing expert-only territory at 8ft.

After that, it tails off fast. Friday 28 August the swell drops to 5ft, energy falls to 480 (moderate), and from Saturday 29 August right through to Monday 8 September, you’ve got a long lean spell. The combined energy dips below 200 most days, with weak, short-period junk and poor to marginal surf conditions. There’s almost nothing worth paddling out for. It’s a solid 10-day gap with no recommendations.

Then we get a flicker of hope. Thursday 3 September morning shows 7ft NNE swell, 11 seconds, with a light cross ESE wind – not great. But Thursday afternoon... the glass kicks in again. 8ft from the NNE, 12-second period, energy at 1358, and it’s glassy. That’s your second standout. Perfect for experienced surfers again, but a solid swell.

So to sum up: Wednesday 26 August – glassy, 6–7ft ENE groundswell, this is the pick of the whole run. Thursday 27 August morning is also glassy and a touch bigger. After that, you’re waiting until Thursday 3 September afternoon for the next clean, lined-up swell. The core of this outlook is those two glassy windows.

Rusty.

Read more