The Harbour Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for the next couple of weeks. I’ll be straight with you – it’s a pretty grim run for The Harbour. We’ve got a long stretch of nothing worthwhile, so don’t rush to grab your board just yet.

The forecast kicks off with Friday afternoon, August 28th, and it’s a write-off. We’ve got a 5 ft swell from the ENE, but it’s a short period of 7 seconds with a fresh cross-shore wind of 22 mph. The water is sitting at 57°, which is about average for this time of year, but the surface is a lumpy cross-chop. The combined energy is weak (285), and the whole setup is just ugly. Not a single wave worth paddling for.

Saturday the 29th is a bit smaller, dropping to 3 ft, but still with a messy cross-shore wind. The swell is short and weak (104 energy). Sunday the 30th sees the swell shrink to 2 ft from the NE, with a period of only 6 seconds. The wind swings light for the afternoon, but there’s next to no energy (19). Monday the 31st and Tuesday the 1st of September are the same story – tiny, weak, and mostly cross-shore or onshore. The water temp anomaly is normal, but that’s small comfort.

From Wednesday the 2nd of September right through to Saturday the 5th, we’ve got a flat spell. The guidance shows zero swell energy for a solid four days. The Harbour is a beach/groyne setup, so it’s not unusual to see a blank run like this when the swell windows are closed. The winds are clean or offshore at times, but there’s simply nothing to ride.

Sunday the 6th of September is a big fat zero too, with strong offshore winds from the SW at 25 mph. The swell is absent. Monday the 7th of September finally shows a pulse of life: by Monday afternoon, a 6 ft swell from the SE arrives with a 6-second period and a moderate offshore wind. The combined energy jumps to 263, which is moderate, but it’s still a marginal forecast with questionable tide conditions. The 6 ft is a bit much for beginners, but okay for intermediates. The offshore wind should clean it up, but it’s short period, so the waves will be a bit lumpy and close together.

Tuesday the 8th of September is the only real standout in this whole outlook. The morning brings a solid 8 ft swell from the south, with an 8-second period and a moderate cross-offshore wind. The combined energy hits 600, which is strong, and the conditions are clean. This is a big swell – over 8 ft, so it’s expert territory only. The south swell direction is not ideal for The Harbour, which prefers an optimum SE, but with that much energy and clean wind, it might still produce some wedgy, powerful waves. The afternoon stays big (7 ft) but the wind picks up to a strong breeze of 25 mph, making it messy.

Wednesday the 9th of September drops off quickly to 4 ft from the NNW with a short period of 5 seconds and weak energy (90). After that, it’s back to flat or near-flat conditions through to the end of the window on the 12th of September.

So, the only real moment to watch is Tuesday morning, the 8th of September. If you’re a seasoned charger and you don’t mind a bit of a wait, that dawn patrol could offer some clean, powerful waves. But the rest of the two weeks is a washout. Hang tight, and hopefully the forecasts change. For now, it’s not looking like a good time to plan a session.

Stay tuned, Rusty.

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