Walkers Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ll be straight with you: this outlook for Walkers is a tough one to write. The whole 16-day window is a bit of a struggle, and before we even get into the specifics, I’ve got to tell you there’s a long dry spell. From now until Monday the 17th of August, there’s nothing worth even paddling out for. That’s a solid week of poor surf conditions – strong cross-onshore winds, choppy, messy, lumpy, and just plain ugly. The wave energy hits a peak of 251 (moderate) on the 12th, but the wind is all wrong, and it’s classed as poor surf. On the 13th, the swell jumps to 12 ft, with a massive 1560 combined energy, but it’s under a strong cross-onshore breeze and a thunderstorm risk – that’s a no-go for a paddle. The 16th has a clean-looking 6 ft swell with a 14-second period from the ENE and offshore winds, and energy at 1871, but it’s still marked as poor surf conditions. No idea why, but it is what it is.

The first real flicker of hope comes on Monday the 17th of August. The morning session at Walkers has a 5 ft swell from the east, with a 10-second period. The wind is a gentle cross-shore from the southeast at 9 mph, and the energy is moderate at 674. The rating says marginal surf, but after a week of nothing, this is a break in the clouds. The water is a warm 84°F with a normal anomaly of 0.5°F, so it’s about average for this time of year. The 5 ft is a bit much for beginners, but for intermediates, it’s okay. The long period (10 seconds) means the waves will have some shape, but the east swell direction is not the optimum northeast for this spot, so it won’t be firing perfectly. Still, it’s the best on offer. The afternoon is a step down with a 5 ft swell and a moderate cross-shore chop, so it’s a morning mission.

After that, the 18th and 19th of August go back to poor surf with fresh cross-onshore winds and lumpy conditions. The 5 ft+ swell on the 18th is just punchy and messy. The 20th and 21st drop off into small, weak, and cross-onshore again. The 22nd and 23rd are tiny and rubbish. The 24th shows a glimmer with a 4 ft to 5 ft east swell, but the wind is still cross-onshore at 16 mph, keeping it choppy and marginal. The 25th of August has a 6 ft to 7 ft east swell, but the wind is howling from the ENE at 19 mph, cross-onshore, and with a risk of thunderstorms. That’s not a surf day; that’s a kite day. The whole setup – beach break, strong onshore wind, big messy swell – it’s way more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

If I had to pick one standout, it’s that Monday the 17th of August morning at Walkers. It’s not perfect, but it’s the only window where the wind is light and cross-shore, the swell is a decent height, and the energy is moderate. It’s a rare moment of “maybe” in a forecast that’s otherwise a write-off. For the rest, you’re better off waiting for the next change in the pattern. This kind of blank run is more normal for the area when the trade winds are locked in, so don’t lose hope – forecasts can change.

Rusty.

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