The groyne Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it. We’ve got a 16-day window ahead, but I’ll be honest with you, it’s looking pretty flat and ordinary for most of it. The only real spot on the radar is The Groyne, and even that’s a tale of small, wobbly waves and less-than-ideal wind.

The overall pattern is one of persistent, small east-southeast swell. The energy is weak to moderate at best, with the combined swell energy reading a modest 170 (moderate) first thing Wednesday morning, but it quickly drops off. There are no standout days with big, powerful surf coming through.

Wednesday 5th August is about as good as it gets, and that’s saying something. The morning session is the pick. The Groyne is showing a small 3ft swell from the east (which is the optimum direction for this reef), and it’s breaking with a 10-second period, so there’s a bit of groundswell energy in there. The wind is glassy, dead calm from the WSW at 3 mph, so the surface will be clean. The water temp is sitting at 68°F, which is just a touch cooler than average for this time of year. It’s a session for the longboard or a fun mid-length. The combined energy is 170 (moderate), so there’s enough to push you around. Crowds are sometimes a factor here, so you might have a few mates out, but it’s not a circus.

The rest of the week is a write-off. Thursday morning is clean with a cross-off wind, but the swell is still only 3ft and the period drops to 8 seconds, which is a weak windswell. The energy is a low 103 (weak). By the afternoon, it’s choppy onshore. Friday through Sunday is a mix of onshore, cross-shore winds and small, weak waves. The combined energy stays below 100 or just into the low 100s for most of it, with the surf quality being poor. The wind messes up the surface.

Looking into the second week, from Monday 10th August onwards, it’s a grim run. The swell direction swings more south-east, which isn’t the optimum for The Groyne. The heights hang around 3ft to 4ft, but the periods are short (6-9 seconds), indicating weak, local windswell. The combined energy is mostly in the 100-200 range (moderate, but weak quality). The only mildly promising session might be Monday 10th August afternoon with a clean, cross-off wind from the WSW at 6 mph, but the swell is a tiny 3ft. It’s a paddle around, not a proper surf.

Tuesday 11th August morning is similar, clean cross-off wind but again, tiny 3ft swell. The energy is a poor 128 (weak). After that, the wind either turns onshore or the swell gets too short.

Saturday 15th August morning is the last flicker of hope, with a clean cross-off wind and a 3ft swell from the SE, but the period is a terrible 6 seconds. That’s just a bumpy, weak windswell. The energy is only 107 (weak). By the afternoon, the swell bumps up to 5ft, but it’s onshore and messy.

The final week, from Sunday 16th August onward, is a steady diet of onshore south-easterly winds and short-period windswell. The swell heights are around 3ft to 5ft, but the wind is always on it or cross-shore, creating chop. The energy fluctuates between 88 and 219 (weak to moderate), but with the short period and poor wind, it’s not worth paddling out for. The Groyne is a reef, so it can handle a bit of swell, but with these conditions, it’s a no-go.

The bottom line: There’s no real standout. The best surf on offer is a fleeting, small, glassy session on Wednesday morning, 5th August, at The Groyne. For the rest of the 16 days, it’s a long, flat, or blown-out run. Expect a lot of days with no worthwhile recommendations. If you’re desperate, you could get a float on a longboard Wednesday morning, but otherwise, save your energy.

Rusty.

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