The Left Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Righto, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for The Left over the next couple of weeks.

The early part of the outlook is a bit of a mixed bag, with only one real standout that’s worth circling on the calendar. The first few days see some solid swell, but the wind is all over the place, making it a real struggle to find clean conditions. We’ve got a decent pulse of WNW swell coming through on Sunday 9th, hitting 8 ft with a 9-second period and moderate wave energy (1005), but that 35 km/h WSW cross-off wind is going to mess with the face. The Left is a point break, so it handles a bit of wind, but that’s a lot of breeze. The afternoon stays lumpy with a cross-shore chop. Monday 10th is worse, with a similar-sized swell but the wind swings NW and cross-on, just ruining any chance of a clean wave. The energy is still strong (1153), but it’s not surfable for a good session.

Tuesday 11th sees a big drop in size, down to 4 ft, and the wind swings SE at 15 km/h, giving us a clean cross-off. The swell is short-period (8 seconds) and weak (213), so it’s small and a bit weak, but the bank might hold a few fun lines for an intermediate. The water is sitting at 56°F, which is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The Wednesday and Thursday mornings are tiny, with 2 ft to 2 ft and a mix of offshore and glassy conditions. The energy is very low (81-130), and it’s just not enough to get excited about. The wave quality is marginal at best.

There’s a big gap of nothing special from the 12th through to the 17th, with only tiny, weak surf and ordinary conditions. The energy stays below 200 for most of that, and the wind is never quite right. Even the glassy moments on Sunday 17th afternoon with 2 ft and no wind just don’t have the size to make it worth a paddle.

Now, here’s the one that keeps me awake at night. The standout is Friday 21st August. The Left is going to be pumping. We’re looking at a 7 ft swell from the WNW, with a 10-second period, and the combined energy is a strong 889. The real kicker is the wind: a light WSW at 10 km/h, cross-off, and it’s a “clean” forecast. That is the best wind direction for this point, and it’s light. The waves will be well-shaped, with that long period groundswell energy, and the sets will be clean and lined up. This is the one to plan for, but keep in mind it’s over a week away, so it’s promising but not locked in yet.

The swell drops a bit on Saturday 22nd, but still a solid 5 ft from the WNW, though the wind picks up to 30 km/h in the afternoon, turning it lumpy. The morning might still be okay if you’re out early, but it’s not the same level as Friday.

The following week (from the 23rd) fades back to smaller, wind-affected conditions, with 4 ft to 5 ft swells but cross-on breezes from the NW, so it’s nothing to write home about.

So, the bottom line: The Left has got a lot of days that are just average or poor, but Friday 21st August is the real deal. Mark it down. For the rest, it’s a waiting game. The bank is a point break, so it will hold the swell, but the wind is the gatekeeper. If you’re an intermediate or above, that Friday morning is your best bet.

Rusty.

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