The Inlet and Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, I’m Rusty. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer for The Inlet and Pier over the next couple of weeks.

Truth is, mate, it’s a pretty flat and quiet run. The swell is tiny and the conditions are mostly ordinary, so you’re looking at a long stretch of nothing much to get excited about. The first real blip of interest doesn’t show up until the afternoon of Tuesday the 11th of August, when a bit of a pulse arrives. That’s your one standout, but even then it’s not a classic.

The whole forecast window is dominated by small, weak swell. The combined wave energy for most days sits under 100 (weak), mostly in the 30s and 40s, and often way lower. The water temperature is about 75°F – bang on average for this time of year, so nothing unusual there.

Tuesday 28th July – The Inlet and Pier: small swell around 1 ft to 3 ft from the ESE and S, with a short period of 4 to 8 seconds. Cross-offshore and cross winds in the 12 to 15 mph range. The surf is poor. Not worth a paddle.

Wednesday 29th July – A little more size, with 3 ft from the SE, period 7 seconds, combined energy 77 (weak). Morning winds are a light NW at 6 mph, cross-offshore, making it clean. Still, “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions” sums it up – not a standout.

Thursday 30th July – Drops back to 2 ft from the SE. Winds are cross-offshore, but the weak energy (36–41) and tiny waves mean it’s poor.

Friday 31st July through to Monday 10th August – This is a long gap of poor surf. Swell heights stay under 1 ft, often 0.3 ft to 0.7 ft. Combined energy is mostly single digits or low teens. Winds are variable, mostly cross or onshore, with some glassy patches on Monday 3rd August. But even the glassy morning only has 1 ft from the SE – the energy is still just 31. It’s flat, mate. Not worth the walk.

Tuesday 11th August – Now here’s the one standout. The morning has 3 ft from the NNE with a period of just 4 seconds – that’s a short, weak windswell, but the wind is glassy out of the ENE at 3 mph. The combined energy is only 17, so it’s still weak. But the afternoon sees a jump: 5 ft from the NE, period 6 seconds, and combined energy spikes to 155 (moderate). That’s the biggest swell of the whole period, and the direction from the NE lines up nicely with the optimum swell direction. However, the wind is onshore at 9 mph from the ENE, and it’s a risk t-storm day. The break is a beach/jetty setup, so with that onshore wind, it’s going to be choppy. Still, if you’re desperate, this is your best shot – but it’s not for beginners, as 5 ft is a bit of a push. The short period means it’ll be soft and bumpy.

Wednesday 12th August – Back to 2 ft from the ENE, period 7 seconds, energy 58 (weak). Light cross-onshore wind. Poor again.

So, bottom line: the whole 16-day window is mostly flat and poor. The only real stand-out is the afternoon of Tuesday 11th August, with the biggest swell of the lot at 5 ft from the NE, but it’s not clean. If you’re a kiter, those breezy, small days might be more your thing, but for a paddle surfer, it’s a long wait for a very average wave.

Rusty.

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