The Wharf Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Gotta be straight with you—this stretch is a tough one for the next couple of weeks. Most of the time we’ve got onshore winds, lumpy conditions, and the scores are flatlining. Even when the swell pipes up a bit, the wind is just messy. There’s a fair gap of nothing much worth paddling out for until we get into early September.

Let’s start with the first real flicker of hope. On Saturday the 5th of September, morning and afternoon, The Wharf is showing a 4ft to 4ft S swell, with a long period of 16 seconds. That’s proper groundswell, and with the wind turning onshore from the ESE at 12 mph, it’s not perfect, but the energy is building—1279 in the morning and 1118 in the afternoon. That’s strong wave energy. The break is a reef, so that long-period S swell will wrap in nicely, though it’s a consistent spot and can get crowded sometimes. The water temp is sitting around 81°, which is about average for this time of year. But the wind is onshore, so expect some bump on the face. It’s the best the window’s got, but it’s marginal—tide could be a factor, so check that before you go.

Then there’s a bit of a pulse coming through on Sunday the 13th of September. The Wharf sees another S/SSW swell, 4ft, with a 14-second period, and the combined energy jumps to 1114 in the morning. But again, the SE wind is at 19 mph, onshore and lumpy. It’s another tease.

By Monday the 14th of September, the swell bumps up to 6ft in the morning and 7ft in the afternoon, but it’s short-period—7 to 8 seconds—and the wind is howling onshore from the SE at 22 mph. That’s a messy, choppy mess. The setup at The Wharf is a reef, so it might be more interesting for kite surfers than paddle surfers in those conditions.

Honestly, if you’re dead keen, the standout is Saturday the 5th of September, but keep your expectations in check. The consistency is there, but the wind is the enemy. For the rest of the run, it’s a lot of waiting.

Rusty.

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