Turtles Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty, your local surf reporter, bringing you the full rundown for the next 16 days here at Turtles. We’ve got a serious run of swell coming through, but it's not going to be all smooth sailing.

The overall pattern is a long, drawn-out pulse of solid SW to WSW groundswell. The energy is cranked up, with the combined energy reading hitting four and five-digit figures throughout, which tells you there’s a lot of power in the water. The water temp is sitting at 22°, pretty much average for this time of year, so nothing unusual there.

We start off with a bit of a messy first weekend. Friday morning, August 21st, sees a 7ft swell from the WSW with a 15-second period, but it’s riddled with rain showers and a cross-off wind from the NE at 12 mph. The clean look is there, but the energy is massive (2043), and the report says marginal surf, so it’s not a green light. That afternoon goes cross-on and choppy. Saturday the 22nd starts with a clean 6ft WSW swell and a light offshore wind from the W at 6 mph – that’s glassy, clean conditions. The drop in period to 14 seconds is a bit of a bummer, but the energy is still huge (2084). The afternoon falls apart with strong cross-on wind.

Sunday the 23rd is a write-off, with strong winds and choppy, lumpy conditions all day. The 5ft to 5ft swell is just not cooperating.

Now, the real action starts to build into the following week. The standout period is looking like the morning of Monday, August 31st, all the way into the first week of September. That Monday morning, we’ve got a 7ft swell from the WSW, but the period jumps to 18 seconds – that’s a true groundswell, big, long lines. The energy is massive (3148), and the wind is a light breeze from the south at 6 mph, with just crossing ripples. It’s on the edge of being too big for beginners at 7ft, but for experienced surfers, that’s a serious session.

Following that, Tuesday, September 1st, morning looks prime with a 7ft WSW swell, 16-second period, and a clean cross-off wind from the SE at 16 mph. The energy is still pumping (2581). That’s a top-tier window.

Then, the next big one to circle is Friday, September 4th, in the morning. Another 7ft WSW swell, back to a long 18-second period, with a clean cross-off from the SE at 13 mph. The energy is again very high (3032). That’s another one of the best on offer.

The real standout for the whole window, though, is the morning of Saturday, August 30th. It’s a 5ft swell from the WSW with a very long 17-second period, and a clean cross-off wind from the ENE at 16 mph. The energy is high (1206) and the conditions look clean. The swell is a bit smaller, making it more accessible for a wider range of surfers, and the wind is perfect. That’s the one to point the car at.

There are some big, expert-only swells in the mix. Wednesday afternoon, August 26th, sees a 8ft swell with a 19-second period, but the wind is a messy cross-on. The morning of Thursday, August 27th, has a huge 10ft SW swell, with a 16-second period and clean cross-off wind. That’s 10ft, which is strictly for experts, and the energy is extreme (4176). The same goes for Tuesday, September 1st, afternoon with a 8ft swell and cross-on wind.

Be aware, this spot is a reef break, and it's fairly consistent, but crowds are often here. That’s just the price of admission for a wave like this. The optimum swell direction is SSW, and we’re getting a lot of WSW and SW, which is still directly in the mix, so it’s handling the energy well.

In summary, the first few days are a washout. The serious, quality windows start on the morning of the 30th of August, and then again on the 31st of August, and the 1st and 4th of September. The long-period swells are going to be working best here at a reef break, so those long, clean lines will be on offer. The crowds will be a factor, but the surf will be worth it.

Stay safe out there, and don't be a hero if it's too big.

Rusty.

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