Thompsons Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here again. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for Thompsons Bay.

Straight up, this outlook is a tough one. For the first eleven days, from Friday the 21st of August right through to the end of the month, the conditions are just not playing ball. We’re looking at a real dry spell for decent surf. The wind is messy, mostly cross-onshore or strong cross-shore, and the quality is poor. There’s a window of opportunity on the morning of Wednesday the 2nd of September where the wind turns light and cross-offshore, giving us some clean conditions. That’s the standout moment in this whole forecast.

So, let’s break it down.

Friday 21st August kicks off with a 5ft SSW swell, but the wind is a light cross-onshore from the ENE. The combined energy is moderate (754), but the wave state is just small wind ripples. It’s not worth getting wet for. The afternoon drops to 4ft, still messy.

Saturday 22nd is a write-off. The morning has a weak 3ft S swell but a moderate cross-shore breeze. The afternoon turns ugly with a near gale from the SSW at 37 mph, blowing a 4ft swell to pieces.

Sunday 23rd sees the biggest swell of the period – a 10ft SSW swell in the morning. But it’s a short period (10 seconds) and the wind is a moderate cross-onshore, making it a choppy, blown-out mess. The combined energy is strong (2711), but it’s a no-go for a paddle. The afternoon has a 6ft with onshore wind, still poor.

Monday 24th through to Thursday 27th is a string of poor surf. Small swells, mostly under 4ft, with light to fresh cross-shore or cross-onshore winds. On the 27th, the wind picks up to a strong breeze, making it a lumpy cross-chop.

Friday 28th August has a 10ft ENE swell in the afternoon, but it’s a short period (8 seconds) and a strong cross-shore wind. The setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Saturday 29th and Sunday 30th are small and weak, with the 30th having a light onshore wind but only 3ft and 3ft ENE swells.

Monday 31st and Tuesday 1st September are poor: moderate to strong winds, choppy or messy conditions.

Now, for the one bright spot. Wednesday 2nd September morning. The swell is a modest 4ft from the East (8-second period), but the wind is a light cross-offshore from the NNE. That’s clean. The water’s about average for the time of year temperature-wise. The combined energy is weak (250), but with the wind being clean, the setup will be surfable. It’s not a big day, but it’s the only day in the whole run where you’ll get a clean face. The crowds are listed as "sometimes" here, so you might have a few others with the same idea, but it’s worth a look.

After that, it’s back to poor conditions right through to the end of the forecast on Saturday the 5th of September. The 5th has a 10ft SSW swell but a moderate cross-shore, so it’s likely a messy, blown-out mess again.

So, if you’re keen, pencil in the morning of Wednesday the 2nd of September. It’s the only real stand-out, and it’s a promising one for clean lines, even if the swell is on the smaller side. The rest of the period is a washout for a paddle.

Rusty.

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