Walton Rocks (Power Plant) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ll level with you – we’ve got a long stretch ahead with hardly anything to get excited about. The whole 16-day window is a bit of a flat spell. There’s no real swell to speak of, and the recommendations are all scoring pretty low. We’re looking at a run of days where the surf is just too small and wonky to bother with. The first bit of anything that might be rideable doesn’t show up until around the 7th of August, and even then it’s nothing to write home about.

Let’s start with the overall pattern: we’ve got a persistent easterly wind, mostly onshore or cross-onshore, blowing from moderate to fresh speeds. The swell is all short-period windswell, under 8 seconds, so it’s weak and messy. The combined energy is low to moderate at best, with the highest reading hitting 348 towards the 8th of August, but that’s still nothing compared to a proper groundswell.

The only spot we’ve got on the radar is Walton Rocks (Power Plant). It’s a beach and reef set-up that’s very consistent, but the consistency is for small, poor surf. The water temperature is about 83°, which is pretty normal for this time of year – just a touch cooler than average, but nothing to worry about.

Now, the best of the bunch, if you can call it that, falls on Saturday the 8th of August. The morning has a 4 ft swell from the east, with a period of 8 seconds, and the combined energy is 177 – still moderate. But the wind is onshore from the ENE at 6 mph, which is a bit of a bummer. The afternoon picks up a little more swell, 4 ft from the ENE, and the combined energy jumps to 348, but again the wind is onshore from the NNE at 9 mph. It’s not clean, but out of the whole 16 days, this is the only window with a bit of height. The swell direction is east-northeast, which is a bit off the optimum northeast, but it’s close enough. The break is exposed, so it’ll catch whatever is coming. The waves won’t be great, but if you’re desperate, this is your best chance.

After that, it drops off fast. The 9th of August has a 3 ft swell from the east, but the wind is onshore again. The rest of the week is just tiny windswell, 2 ft and under, with periods of 5 to 7 seconds. The combined energy drops back to 121 or less, and the wind is all over the place – mostly cross or cross-onshore, with a bit of chop.

From the 10th of August onwards, the swell is basically flat. We’re looking at 2 ft or less for days, with periods of 4 to 7 seconds. The combined energy is in the teens or twenties – weak. The wind is a mix of cross and cross-off, but the swell is just too small for anything worthwhile. The last few days, from the 15th to the 17th, are barely a ripple, with 0.7 ft to 1 ft swells.

So, the honest truth? There’s no standout session here. The best you’ll get is a small, choppy Saturday on the 8th of August, with waves around waist-high if you’re lucky. It’s a beach and reef set-up, but with the onshore wind, it’s gonna be a bit of a mess. If you’re a beginner, it might be okay, but for anyone else, it’s a tough call. The short period and small size mean the waves will be weak and crumbly.

For the rest of the period, it’s a blank run. This is a pretty normal thing for the area when the trade winds are onshore and the swell is small. It’s not the best time for a paddle, but you never know – a last-minute change could bring something in. Keep an eye on it, but don’t get your hopes up.

Rusty.

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