Turtles Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what we’ve got.

Right, so it’s a quiet start for this region. We’re looking at a solid window of surfable waves, but the first few days are a bit of a write-off thanks to bumpy, onshore conditions and junk swell. The real standout is going to be a session that’s a bit further out, so you’ll want to keep an eye on the calendar.

The only break on the cards is Turtles (Turtles-2). It’s a fairly consistent advanced reef break that’s exposed to the SW, and it works best with a SSW swell direction. Water temps are about average for the time of year, nothing wild going on there.

Let’s start with the early stuff. Sunday the 23rd and Monday the 24th are just average. The swell sits around 5 ft to 6 ft from the SW and WSW, with periods in the 14 to 16-second range – proper groundswell. The problem is the wind: it’s cross or onshore for the most part, with a moderate to fresh breeze that’s kicking up chop. Combined energy is over 1200 (1248 to 1449), so there’s moderate juice in the water, but it’s messy. Not worth paddling out for. Tuesday the 25th morning has a brief window of clean conditions with a cross-off wind and 5 ft SSW swell (period 13s), but the energy drops to 779 (weak), and it’s marginal at best.

Wednesday the 26th gets interesting for the wrong reasons. Morning is still a messy 5 ft cross-onshore, but the afternoon sees a big jump: 8 ft WSW swell with a 19-second period – very long period groundswell. That sounds great, but the combined energy is a massive 4650 (strong), and the wind is straight onshore. That’s not a paddle-surfing setup; that’s a washing machine for everyone but the experts, and even then, the quality is poor.

Now, Thursday the 27th morning is where it starts to get real. We’ve got a clean, cross-off wind (19 mph from the south) and a solid 12 ft SW swell with a 16-second period. That’s a big, powerful groundswell. Combined energy is 5609 (very strong). This is big, and with the wind clean, it’s going to be a serious session for advanced surfers. The afternoon turns to fresh cross-shore chop and drops to 10 ft, so the window is the morning.

Friday the 28th offers a full day of clean surf. Both morning and afternoon have a cross-off wind, 8 ft SW swell, and periods around 13-14 seconds. The energy is moderate (2032 and 1813), and the wind is fresh but clean. This is a solid, paddlable size for strong intermediates to advanced, and the consistency of the wind across the day is a bonus. It won’t be the biggest, but it will be the most user-friendly of the first week.

The real gem, the one you’ve got to circle, is Sunday the 30th of August. The morning session is looking mint: a light, almost glassy cross-off breeze from the SSE at just 6 mph, and a 6 ft WSW swell with a 17-second period (very long period groundswell). Combined energy is a healthy 2089 (moderate). This is the best trade-off of size, power, and perfect clean conditions for the entire run. It’s an advanced spot, and it’s exposed, so that long-period swell will wrap in nicely. Afternoon gets messy again with a fresh cross-on, so hit it early.

After that, there’s a bit of a lull. The week of the 31st to the 5th is a mix of average swell (5 ft to 7 ft) but with onshore or cross winds and chop. The energy drops back into the low 1000s, and the scores are low. It’s not a write-off, but it’s not the best.

Then, we get another pulse. Sunday the 6th of September morning shows 8 ft SW swell with a 14-second period and gentle cross-shore wind. Energy jumps to 4077 (strong). That’s a punchy, solid size again. The afternoon, though, blows out with a 13 ft onshore mess.

And finally, Monday the 7th of September morning is a big one: a clean 12 ft WSW swell with a 17-second period, fresh cross-off wind, and a combined energy of 7626 (very strong). This is another expert-only day, and it’s a long way off, so treat it as a promising but less certain big-wave call.

So, the standout for the whole forecast? Sunday morning, the 30th of August at Turtles. That’s the one with the best balance of clean glassy wind, solid 6 ft groundswell, and good energy. The Thursday the 27th morning and Monday the 7th are bigger, but the wind and size make them for experts only. Keep an eye on the 30th, and if you’re feeling brave, the 27th morning will also dish up some power.

Rusty.

Read more