The Harbour Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Righto, let's have a look at what's on offer for The Harbour over the next couple of weeks.

To be straight with you, it's a tough run. We're looking at a solid stretch of flat or near-flat conditions right through until the end of the month. The water temp is sitting at a fairly normal 58°F, nothing unusual there for this time of year, but the lack of swell is the real story here. For the first few days, there's virtually no energy in the water – the combined swell energy is a big fat zero, and the wind is either cross-on or just not cooperating. The first real pulse of any kind doesn't show up until the morning of Tuesday the 25th, but that's a tiny 1ft SE swell with a period of just 3 seconds, and combined energy of only 3. That's not surfable, mate. It's just a ripple.

The following days are a slow burn. Wednesday the 26th afternoon sees a bit of a lift with a 3ft ESE swell, period 6 seconds, and the combined energy climbs to 156 – that's a moderate amount of energy, but with cross-onshore winds, it's going to be choppy and messy. Not worth the paddle.

The best chance we get in this whole outlook is on Thursday the 27th early morning. The swell bumps up to 5ft from the ESE, with a period of 7 seconds and a combined energy of 272, which is a solid moderate push. The kicker here is the wind – it's a light offshore from the NE, glassy conditions. That's the cleanest we'll see it. This is a standout for the period, but keep in mind the swell is around 5ft, which is pushing the limit for beginners. The period is short, so it won't be the most powerful, but it'll be the best shape on offer. The Harbour is a beach/groyne setup, so with that offshore flow, it could actually hold a decent line.

Friday the 28th morning is another borderline call with a 5ft E swell, but the wind is cross-shore, making it a bit lumpy. The afternoon cleans up a bit with cross-offshore winds, and the swell is 5ft, ENE, with a combined energy of 270. It's a marginal option, but the wind is better.

After that, the swell drops off hard again. Saturday the 29th morning is glassy but only 2ft, and then it's back to nothing. There's a long gap of flat or tiny surf for the next week, with the only real blip being a tiny 1ft NW pulse on the 2nd of September. The wind on the 3rd of September is a strong offshore from the SSW, but there's no swell to ride.

So, the pick of the month is Thursday the 27th early morning. That brief window of 5ft ESE swell with offshore wind is the only time you'll get a clean wave. Get it while you can, because the following week is a write-off. The Harbour is a fairly consistent spot, but this is a lean run, and it often happens here. Forecasts can change though.

Rusty.

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