The Wharf Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for The Wharf.

It’s a tough start. We’ve got a solid, consistent reef break that needs a good S swell and WNW offshore wind, but for the first week and a half, the wind is just not playing ball. We’re looking at a long stretch of poor conditions. From Tuesday the 11th right through to the morning of Tuesday the 18th, we’re staring down persistent onshore to cross-onshore winds from the east and southeast that will be chopping up every bit of swell that arrives. The water temp is sitting at a warm 81°, which is just about normal for this time of year – a familiar feeling for a paddle out, even if the surf is messy.

The first real flicker of hope comes on Tuesday the 18th afternoon. The wind finally backs off to a light breeze from the NNE, and we get a little 3ft S swell. It’s only a marginal call with questionable tides, but it’s the first sign of life. Then, moving into the following week, things get interesting. On Monday the 24th, there’s a bump in size with a 6ft S swell, period stretching to 16 seconds. That’s a proper groundswell with some serious energy (1524 combined energy). The wind is still cross-onshore from the ENE, keeping it a bit of a battle, but the power is there.

The standout moment is Tuesday morning, the 25th of August. We get a clean, glassy moment. The wind swings around to a light SW breeze, which is cross-offshore for The Wharf. It’s still just a 4ft S swell, but with that clean wind and a solid 12-second period, the sets will be lined up and make the paddle out easy. The combined energy is a moderate 515. This is the one to circle on the calendar.

After that, the wind gets messy again going into the 26th, and the swell goes short and choppy, so the window closes as fast as it opened.

Overall, it’s a long wait for a small, clean window. If you’re patient, Tuesday the 25th is your shot.

Rusty

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