The Harbour Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get straight into it. The Harbour is our only option on the table for the next 16 days, and to be honest, it’s a pretty bleak stretch coming up. We’re looking at a long gap of flat or poor conditions before one last, big event shows up.

The surf window kicks off looking pretty sorry. From Wednesday the 26th right through to the end of the week, we’ve got tiny, weak swell with short periods. The combined energy is weak (18 to 387) and the winds are mostly cross or cross-on, making it choppy and messy. Thursday the 28th sees a bit of a bump to 5 ft, but it’s cross-shore and lumpy with a fresh breeze—not worth paddling out for. The weekend from the 29th to the 31st cleans up with some light cross-off winds, but the swell drops to barely a ripple, with combined energy as low as 1. It’s flat, clean, and empty.

Then we hit a real dead zone. From the 1st of September through to the 7th, there are days with zero swell on the cards. The morning of the 1st offers a clean offshore breeze with 3 ft from the south, but it’s weak and short period (5 seconds), so it’s a no-go. The 2nd and 3rd are completely flat. The 4th, 5th, and 6th are just as hopeless, with only tiny 0.7 ft dribbles that won’t get you wet.

Now, the standout – and it’s a big one. Monday the 7th of September morning is the only real event in this whole stretch. A massive 13 ft swell from the south with an 8-second period is predicted to roll in. The combined energy is huge at 1823. The wind is fresh offshore from the SSW, so it’ll be clean. But here’s the catch: that swell is way too big for The Harbour, a beach/groyne setup. The model even says it’s too big for this break. This is strictly for experts only, and even then, it’s going to be a wild, dangerous beast. The afternoon of the same day drops to 7 ft, with a combined energy of 970, but the wind stays strong offshore. It’s still a heavy, powerful swell, and the break might not handle it well. This is a “watch from the shore” kind of day unless you’re a seasoned charger.

After that, it all fizzles out again. Tuesday the 8th has a tiny 0.3 ft with strong onshore winds, and the 9th and 10th are glassy but flat or near-flat. The water temperature is about average for the time of year, nothing unusual to report.

So, bottom line: there’s a long, flat stretch ahead, with only one day of serious, dangerous swell for the brave. Not a good time for beginners. The setup is better for kite surfing than paddle surfing on the big day. Stay tuned, forecasts can change.

Rusty.

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