23 Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s talk about 23 Beach (Twentythree-Beach).

Look, I’m not gonna sugarcoat it – this stretch of sand is having a rough run. The whole 16-day window is pretty much a write-off for anything you’d want to paddle into. The swell just isn’t cooperating, and the wind’s got a nasty cross to cross-on habit that’s gumming up the surface. There’s no standout session, no hidden gem day. This is one of those stretches where you’re better off leaving the board in the car.

The first half of the outlook is dominated by tiny, weak swell. Sunday morning, August 2nd, you’ve got a knee-high 3 ft wave from the NNW, but it’s short period at 6 seconds and the wind is a light cross-shore breeze. The combined energy is a measly 96, so there’s just no power. The water is sitting at 70°, which is a bit colder than you’d expect for this time of year – about 3° off the norm. It’s not a total shock, but you’ll feel it.

Monday and Tuesday are even smaller, barely 1 ft, and the wind stays onshore or cross-on, ruining any chance of a clean face. Wednesday, August 5th, sees a tiny bump in energy to 112, but the swell height is still only 3 ft and the period is a weak 8 seconds. The wind is gentle cross-onshore, meaning surface chop. It’s not surfable, not really.

We get a bit of a pulse around Thursday, August 6th, with the afternoon showing 4 ft at 7 seconds from the NNW and combined energy jumping to 246. That’s a moderate spike, but the wind is a moderate cross-onshore at 15 mph, turning it into a messy, choppy mess. By Friday, August 7th, the swell height hits 6 ft with energy up to 403, but it’s still cross-onshore and the period is short. That’s junk. For a beginner spot, 6 ft is already getting a bit much, and with that wind, it’s just a washing machine.

Saturday, August 8th, is the closest we get to a “maybe.” The morning shows a 5 ft swell from the NNW with an onshore wind from the NW at 6 mph. The score is a 1 out of 10, and the comment says “marginal surf forecast.” It’s the only time in the whole window the wind is directly onshore, but very light, which could clean it up a touch. But the period is still 8 seconds, and the energy is high (310). It’s not good, it’s just *less bad*.

After that, it’s a slow fade. From Sunday, August 9th, all the way through to Monday, August 17th, the swell drops back to 2 ft to 4 ft, and the wind is stuck in that cross-on pattern. The combined energy falls back to the 70s and 80s by the end of the second week. It’s dead.

If you’re a kitesurfer or a windsurfer, the consistent moderate breeze and onshore wind might make this setup interesting on a few of those days. For a surfer? There’s nothing here. The break is consistent, but it’s consistently poor. The crowds are listed as “sometimes,” but honestly, on a stretch like this, you won’t have to worry about anyone else out there with you.

I’d say give it a miss. Check back in a few days – forecasts can change, and it never stays flat forever. But for now, the beach is for walking.

Rusty.

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