The Harbour Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a good look at what we’ve got on the cards.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you: The Harbour is going through a proper flat spell. There’s nothing doing at all for the first week. From Saturday the 15th right through to Friday the 21st, it’s pretty much a write-off – you’ll see zeros across the board, and the little bumps that do show are so small and weak they’re not worth paddling for.

The first sign of life finally shows up on Saturday the 22nd of August. We get a bit of a pulse pushing in from the NE. Swell bumps up to 6ft at 9 seconds – that’s decent energy for this spot, with a combined energy reading of 513 (moderate wave energy territory). But here’s the kicker: the wind is up out of the north at a solid 19 mph, blowing cross-onshore. The water temp is sitting around 57°, which is pretty much average for this time of year. The whole thing looks lumpy and messy. For a beach/groyne setup like this, that NE wind and swell just doesn’t line up clean. If you were thinking of a paddle, you’ll be fighting chop. This one might honestly be more interesting for the kite crew than us surfers. Not a standout day.

Sunday the 23rd backs off a touch, with 5ft at 8 seconds (combined energy 244), but it’s onshore and still rugged. Monday the 24th drops further to 4ft under a northerly cross-onshore, still choppy. Not great.

Now, Tuesday the 25th might offer the best of a messy bunch. Swell picks back up to 6ft at 8 seconds from the NE (combined energy 369). It’s a bit bigger – definitely creeping out of beginner territory and into intermediate-plus zone. The wind swings more cross-shore out of the NNW at 22 mph, which at least cleans it up a fraction compared to the earlier onshore junk. Still, that’s a fresh breeze and the break will be lumpy with cross-chop. Not a classic, but if you’re desperate and got the skill, it’s the closest thing to a highlight in this outlook.

Wednesday the 26th holds similar size (5-6ft) but same story: cross to cross-on wind, moderate to fresh breeze, lumpy conditions.

We finally get a tiny window of glass on Saturday the 29th. Swell is down to just 2ft from the NE at 7 seconds (combined energy 22) – super weak. But with the wind going glassy out of the WNW in the morning and then swinging south and glassy in the arvo, the water will be like a mirror. It’ll be clean, but you’ll be hunting for any ripple. For the patient longboarder, it could be a fun little session.

Overall, there’s no real standout quality session in this 16-day run. The swell windows have size, but they’re all blown out. The cleanest days are flat. It’s a tough stretch for The Harbour. Forecasts can always change, so keep an eye on it, but for now, I’d be giving this one a pass.

Rusty.

Read more