Wategos Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let's get into it. This is a tale of patience for us here in the Byron area. The first week is pretty much a write-off for decent surf, so don't bother waxing up just yet.

The water temp at Wategos is sitting at 68°, which is about average for this time of year, so nothing unusual there.

We’ve got a long stretch of nothing happening from the 14th right through to the afternoon of the 16th. The swell is tiny, only 1 ft, and the wind is offshore, but it’s just not enough energy to get any kind of wave. It’s a classic case of "poor surf conditions."

Then, from the 17th into the 18th, things start to get interesting but not quite there. The swell picks up to 6 ft to 7 ft on the 17th and 18th, but it's short-period stuff (8 seconds) and the wind is cross-offshore. The combined energy jumps into the 500s, which is moderate, but the wave comment is still "marginal." It's a bit raw and messy, and with that size, it’s probably too big for beginners and not clean enough for anyone else.

The real standout window, and the only bright spot in this whole 16-day forecast, is the morning of Wednesday, 19th August. The swell drops a bit to 4 ft, but the period stretches to 11 seconds, which is a proper groundswell. The combined energy is still solid at 511. But the key here is the wind: light S offshore. That's a major positive. Wategos will be clean, with good shape. It’s the one time you can get out there and have a decent session. The swell direction is out of the SE, which is a bit off the optimum NE, but for a point break like Wategos, that's fine.

The afternoon of the 19th is also okay, but the wind shifts to cross-offshore, so the morning is definitely the pick.

After that, it's a slow fade. The 20th has some small surf, but it's ordinary. From the 21st right through to the end of the month, it's back to tiny, poor conditions. The swell never gets above 3 ft, the periods are short, and the wind is often onshore or cross-onshore. It’s a flat spell. There's a glimmer of offshore wind on the 28th and 29th, but the swell is only 1 ft to 2 ft, so it's not even worth a paddle.

So, to sum it up: if you're keen, you have one morning to aim for — Wednesday the 19th. Get the early session at Wategos. The rest of the month is a waiting game, but that's Byron for you. It never stays flat for long, so keep an eye on the forecasts.

Rusty.

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