Walcott Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, it’s Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer up at Walcott for the next couple of weeks.

Straight up, I’ve gotta be honest with you – this is a tough read. The whole 16-day window is a grim one for surfers. There’s not a single recommendation worth paddling out for. We’re looking at a long, dry spell with nothing but poor surf conditions day after day. The first real chance of anything comes way down the line, but even then it’s not looking good.

The water is sitting at 66°F with a temperature anomaly of 4°F, which is notably warmer than usual for this time of year. That’s about the only interesting thing happening.

Looking at the pattern, the first few days from the 26th of August are a complete write-off. We’ve got a tiny, weak swell from the east on Wednesday afternoon with a combined energy of just 48, and it’s a messy cross-on wind. Thursday is the same story – a bit more height at 4ft but still a weak, short-period easterly windswell and cross-shore winds. It’s just chop.

We get a bit of a clean-up from Friday the 28th through to the start of September with offshore winds swinging in from the southwest. The problem is the swell drops off a cliff. We’re talking 2ft and smaller, with combined energy in the single digits. The waves are tiny and weak, even if the wind is clean. It’s not surfable.

There’s a slight bump mid-period. On Wednesday the 2nd of September, we see a modest pulse from the northwest with waves around 4ft and combined energy hitting 117. But the wind is a cross-shore, and the period is a short 7 seconds, so that’s a messy, weak windswell. The following day offers a clean offshore wind, but the swell has already dropped back to 2ft.

The only real stand-out in terms of size – and I use that term loosely – comes right at the end of the forecast. On Thursday the 10th of September, we finally see a 5ft to 5ft northeast swell with combined energy up to 162. The wind is offshore and clean from the southwest. That’s the best looking setup of the whole period. But there’s a catch. The swell period is only 6 seconds, so it’s short-period windswell, not proper groundswell. The break is described as ‘inconsistent’ and ‘fairly exposed’ to the north, and with a short period swell like this, it’s going to be fat and weak. It’s also a beginner spot, and at 5ft, it’s starting to push the limits for less experienced paddlers. The offshore wind will keep it clean, but don’t expect any power.

So, the reality is there’s just nothing to get excited about. The forecasts can always change, but for now, I’d leave the board at home. For a beach break like this with that much wind and weak swell, the setup actually looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Rusty.

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