Vetchs Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Gather 'round, folks. Rusty here. Look, I've got to be straight with you – the next sixteen days are a real mixed bag for Vetchs Reef. It's a spot that *rarely breaks* as it is, and we're looking at a long stretch of waiting. The outlook is pretty grim for the most part.

We kick off on Tuesday the 18th of August. There's some swell, but it's a no-go. The wind is howling from the SSW at 19 mph, while the water's a warm 70°, which is spot on average for this time of year. The energy is moderate (241), but the conditions are just plain poor. It's more of a kite-surfing setup than a paddle session.

That pattern of poor surf and messy wind or cross-offshore slop carries right through Friday the 21st. The swell is small, the period is short, and the energy is weak. The entire first week is a washout. There's a brief flicker on the morning of Saturday the 22nd of August. The swell jumps to 5 ft from the NE with a period of 7 seconds, and the combined energy is moderate (285). The wind is light and cross-offshore. It's a glimmer of hope, but the swell is inconsistent and the forecast only gives it a marginal score. That afternoon, the wind cranks up again, ruining it.

Then we hit a flat spell. From Sunday the 23rd of August through Tuesday the 25th, the swell drops to nothing – barely 0.7 ft to 1 ft. The energy is pitiful, with values in the single digits to low tens. Even a glassy session on Monday afternoon with 0.7 ft swell is just a flat, calm lake.

The real story, and the only thing that might get a proper surfer's heart racing, is a late-season pulse. It's a long way off, so take this with a grain of salt, but the morning of Saturday the 29th of August could be the one. The swell is 6 ft from the ENE with a period of 7 seconds, and the combined energy is strong (602). The wind is a gentle cross-shore. It's a big swell, but still manageable for most. The issue is the wind is forecast to be cross-shore, not clean offshore, so it might be a bit lumpy. Then on Sunday the 30th of August, the swell is 5 ft to 7 ft, the wind is cross-offshore, and the energy is still strong. Both days are marginal, but it's the best on offer.

The very end of the run, Monday the 31st of August and Tuesday the 1st of September, sees a big 8 ft to 7 ft swell from the NE, but it's hammered by a strong cross-onshore wind. The energy is very high (953 and 806), but the waves will be a total mess. This is expert-only, and even then, it's likely a blown-out nightmare. The entire run is a tough one for Vetchs Reef, which is a notoriously inconsistent wave. It's a blank spell that's not unusual for this area.

Rusty, signing off.

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