The Washout Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the table for the Washout area over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I’ve got to be straight with you – it’s a lean stretch. We’re looking at a solid gap of poor conditions right through the start of the period. From Saturday the 29th of August all the way through to Tuesday morning the 1st of September, the surf is just too small and messy to bother with. The swell is barely pushing 1 ft, the period is short and weak, and the wind is mostly cross or onshore. You’d be better off staying in bed.

The first real glimmer of hope comes on Wednesday morning, the 2nd of September. The Washout – a beach/pier setup that’s very consistent and exposed to the SE – will see a tiny 2 ft swell coming from the SE, with a period of 11 seconds. That’s a decent period for the size, and the combined energy is a weak 72. The real story here is the wind: a glassy 3 mph from the S. That’ll make for some clean, tiny little waves. It’s beginner territory with the size, but if you’re just getting wet, it’s your best shot. The water temp is a warm 84°F, which is pretty normal for this time of year.

After that, the outlook gets messy again. The wind swings onshore, the swell stays small, and the period drops off. There’s a bit of a pulse on Sunday the 6th of September morning – a 3 ft swell from the SSW with a short 5-second period, and clean cross-offshore wind from the WSW. The energy is a weak 72. It’s surfable but very ordinary, and the short period will make it a bit junky. For the next week, we get a few clean mornings with cross-off winds, but the swell sits around 2 ft to 3 ft, never really getting any grunt.

The one standout that looks promising but is a long way off is Sunday the 13th of September. The Washout will see a 4 ft to 4 ft swell from the E, with a period of 7 seconds. The combined energy jumps to 123 (moderate) in the morning, then 167 (moderate) in the afternoon. That’s the most energy we see this whole run. The catch? The wind is cross and then cross-on at 16 mph, so it’ll be a bit lumpy. Still, the size is enough to get a few fun ones, and for this area, that’s about as good as it gets in the 16-day window. For a beach break, the short period isn’t ideal, but it’ll be punchy.

Honestly, this is a tough forecast. The inconsistent, small swells and average wind mean none of these are real standouts. If you’re desperate, Wednesday morning the 2nd is the cleanest option, and Sunday the 13th has the most size. For the rest, keep your expectations low.

Rusty.

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