The Harbour Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at the next couple of weeks at The Harbour (beach/groyne). Mate, I’ve got to be straight with you – it’s a pretty grim run. There’s a big gap of nothing worthwhile at the start. The first hint of any rideable swell doesn’t show up until Monday morning, the 7th of September, and even then, the conditions are poor. The water temp is sitting about average for this time of year at 57°.

The whole 16-day window is a struggle. The first few days are a write-off with tiny, weak swell and strong winds. From Saturday the 5th through Sunday the 6th, you’re looking at flat, choppy nothing. Then Monday the 7th brings a small pulse: a 3ft to 3ft SSE swell, period a short 6 seconds, so it’s weak and won’t have much punch. The wind is offshore (SW/SSW), which is good, but it’s a fresh breeze, making it hard work. The combined energy is only 61 to 85 (weak) – nothing to get excited about.

Tuesday the 8th is the best of a bad lot, but it’s still not great. The swell jumps to 6ft from the SSW, still a short 6-second period, but the combined energy hits 229 (moderate). The wind is a strong offshore from the SW in the morning, which will clean it up, but that strong breeze (25 mph) will make it a battle to paddle into. This is really only for the experts. The Harbour is a beach/groyne setup, and with that strong wind and short-period swell, it might honestly be more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. The afternoon sees the wind swing cross-offshore, still strong.

The rest of the week is a total letdown. Wednesday the 9th is blown out by strong cross-shore winds, and the swell is a messy 4ft from the north. Thursday the 10th and Friday the 11th drop back to tiny dribbles (1ft to 2ft) with no energy. The following weekend (12th and 13th) is almost flat again, with onshore or cross winds.

There’s a glimmer of something on Monday the 14th of September – a 3ft SSW swell with a 6-second period, and a light offshore wind (SW) in the morning. Energy is still weak at 55, but it’ll be clean. Still, it’s tiny.

The second week is a dead zone. From Tuesday the 15th right through to Saturday the 20th, it’s mostly flat or tiny slop with no energy. The only real highlight is a glassy, flat morning on Wednesday the 16th and Thursday the 17th. That’s it.

Honestly, the only day that might be worth a look is Tuesday the 8th of September, early, for the experienced crew who can handle a strong offshore wind and a bit of size. For everyone else, it’s a long, blank run. It’s not unusual for this area to go quiet, but it’s still a bummer.

Rusty.

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