Thompsons Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

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

Straight up, this is a tough stretch. We’ve got a solid 16-day window, but honestly, it’s a bit of a desert for quality waves. For the first week and a half, the conditions are just not cooperating. From Sunday the 23rd of August right through to the end of the month, it’s a grim run of poor surf quality. You’ll see wind coming from the wrong directions—mostly cross or cross-on—and the surf just looks messy, choppy, and hard to enjoy. The only real size comes later, but the wind is going to ruin it.

The first standout, if you can call it that, comes on Wednesday afternoon the 26th of August. The swell is pushing 5 ft from the S with a solid 17-second period (combined energy of 1553 – strong stuff), but it’s a cross-on wind from the SSW. The report says it’s marginal at best. For a sheltered spot like Thompsons Bay, which needs SE swell to really light up, this S groundswell is hitting at an awkward angle. The water temp is about average for the time of year at 70°, so nothing unusual there.

From the 27th of August through the 30th, the swell gets big—up to 12 ft—but it’s all short-period ENE windswell with strong cross-shore winds. That’s going to be a washing machine, not surfable for anyone but maybe a kiter. The combined energy values are massive (up to 1653), but the quality is zero.

The next date to pencil in is Thursday morning the 3rd of September. We finally get some offshore wind—strong offshore from the NNW at 25 mph. The swell is 5 ft from the ENE with a 10-second period (combined energy 508). The report says it’s clean but hard to paddle into. That’s a classic caveat: strong offshore makes the face perfect, but you’ll be battling to get out back. This is the most promising window for an experienced surfer.

After that, it fades back into mediocrity. Saturday the 5th of September has small, weak 3 ft E swell with a 10-second period and light onshore wind. Not exciting.

The absolute best of the bunch—the one true standout—is Sunday morning the 6th of September. We get a 6 ft SSW groundswell with a very long 17-second period (combined energy of 2177, the highest of the whole period). The wind is a gentle cross-on from the SSE, so it won’t be glassy, but it’s manageable. This is a deep, powerful swell. For a sheltered spot like Thompsons Bay, a long-period SSW groundswell can produce some really nice lines, though it might break a bit straight on the beach setup. Still, this is your best bet for some serious, cleanish waves with real punch.

In short: don’t waste your petrol for the first week. Mark Thursday the 3rd of September for a windy but clean session if you’re an expert, and definitely plan for Sunday the 6th of September for the biggest, most powerful swell of the window.

Rusty

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