The Spit Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it.

Well, I gotta be straight with you – it’s a pretty grim 16-day stretch for The Spit. We’re looking at a long, long run of poor surf with hardly a window worth paddling out for. It’s a pretty barren forecast for the whole period.

For the first few days, from Monday 17th of August onwards, it's all coming in from the ESE around 5 feet with a short, weak period of just 7 seconds and energy levels around 236 (moderate). The problem is the wind – a solid 30 km/h SE breeze is hammering it, turning it into a lumpy, cross-onshore mess. That’s a hard pass.

We do see a bit of a pulse on Wednesday 19th August. The swell jumps to 6 feet from the SE with a longer period of 11 seconds. The energy really kicks up into strong territory (1022), which suggests there’s some proper power in the water. But again, that cross-onshore wind isn't doing us any favours, leaving the surface choppy. It’s still a no-go for me.

Now, we do get a tiny glimmer around Friday 21st August. The swell drops right off to 3 feet from the east, energy is weak at 128, but we finally catch a break with the wind – glassy. Yep, a true glass-off in the morning. It’s surfable, but only just. You’d be on a longboard, scratching for anything. It doesn’t last though, as the wind flips onshore by the afternoon.

The weekend sees small dribbles of around 2-3 feet, and by Saturday 22nd August morning there is a clean window with a light cross-offshore breeze. The energy is pretty weak (74), so you’re looking at tiny fun-sized waves for a log or a foamie, but at least it’s clean. Don't expect much power.

After that, it’s a real bummer. From Sunday 23rd August all the way through to Monday 31st August and into the start of September, it’s just day after day of tiny, weak swell with onshore winds. Swell directions bounce between ENE and E, but heights are mostly under 3 feet and energy stays low. There is one small bump on the 27th with a period of 9 seconds and energy hitting 106 (weak to moderate), but the cross-onshore wind ruins any chance of quality.

To be perfectly honest, The Spit is a river mouth, and with the swell mostly small and the wind consistently blown out, this setup is honestly looking a lot more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing through this period. The crowds are "often" here, but with conditions this poor, it’ll be quiet anyway. The water temp is sitting around 68°, which is pretty normal for the time of year, so at least you won't freeze waiting for a wave that never comes.

So, the only two real standouts are the glassy early morning on Friday 21st August and the clean, tiny waves on Saturday 22nd August morning. If you are desperate for a paddle, those are your windows. Otherwise, leave the board in the car.

Rusty.

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