Wategos Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the menu for the next couple of weeks at Wategos.

Right off the bat, the first half of this run is not great. We’ve got a decent-sized swell rolling in Monday and Tuesday, around 6ft to 6ft from the ESE and SE, but a solid cross-off wind is keeping things messy, and the period is short—only 7 to 8 seconds. The wave energy is moderate but not clean enough to get excited about. Honestly, those first few days are a write-off.

The first real glimmer of hope comes on Wednesday, 19th August. The swell drops a touch to 5ft from the SE, but look at that period jump to 11 seconds – that’s a proper groundswell. The wind goes light offshore in the morning from the SSE, cleaning it right up. The combined wave energy gets up to a solid 653 (moderate energy) and the conditions are set to improve. This is the best call for the early part of the outlook. Wategos (Byron Bay) is a point break that handles that SE swell direction really well, and with light offshore wind, it’s going to be glassy and clean. It’s a beginner-friendly spot, but with 5ft sets on a longer period, there’ll be plenty of fun for everyone.

Thursday morning still looks okay with a 6ft ESE swell and light cross-off wind, but things fall apart after that. From Thursday afternoon right through to the end of August, it’s a painful stretch. Wind shifts onshore or cross-shore, swell height drops under 3ft, and the periods stay short and weak. The energy numbers barely get into triple digits. There are six days in a row there where the surf is just flat or blown out.

Now, there is a bit of a wildcard on the horizon. On Saturday, 29th August, there’s a sudden pulse of swell from the NNE at 6ft. It’s short period (7 seconds) and the wind is cross-off, but the combined energy jumps right back up to 398. It’s not for beginners – that size with a short period can be a bit of a washing machine – but for the experienced crew, it’ll be lumpy and fun. The water temp is sitting around 68°, which is about 1° cooler than average for this time of year, so nothing wild.

The standout, if I had to pick one, is Wednesday, 19th August – that SE groundswell with light offshore wind is the cleanest window we get. The other one to watch is that 29th August spike, but it’s further out and less certain, so don’t hold your breath just yet. For the rest of it, you’re better off cleaning your wax out of the car.

Rusty.

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