West Shore Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

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

We’re staring down a pretty quiet run for the most part. The surf is small and the conditions are a bit meh, but there are a couple of windows that will get the blood pumping. The first real action isn’t until the weekend, and then we’ve got a massive pulse of energy that’s going to be too big for the beach, but the setup is interesting.

West Shore Beach is the only spot in the mix. The water temperature is about average for the time of year, nothing to write home about.

Thursday the 30th and Friday the 31st are a write-off. Tiny swell, messy cross-shore wind, and the energy is weak (282 and 214). Not worth paddling out for.

Saturday the 1st of August? The swell is tiny, only 1 ft, but the wind is offshore and clean. It’s a long period groundswell (16 seconds), so the waves will have shape, but it’s pretty weak with only 56 combined energy. You could get a fun little log out, but it’s ordinary.

Sunday the 2nd of August is the best of the first week. The morning is clean with a gentle cross-offshore breeze. Swell is 3 ft from the SE, with a period of 11 seconds and a moderate energy of 240. The afternoon gets a little better with a 3 ft SE swell, 13-second period, and 277 energy. The conditions are clean. It’s small, but it’s the most fun you’ll have all week. Crowds are likely here, so get in early.

After that, Monday and Tuesday are mostly flat or poor. Wednesday the 5th has no swell at all in the morning. Thursday the 6th morning is looking glassy with 3 ft of SE swell, 11-second period, and 214 energy. That’s clean and rideable.

Friday the 7th of August morning is a standout. It’s glassy, dead calm, with a 5 ft SE swell. The period is short (7 seconds), so it’s a bit of a windswell, but the energy is moderate (230). For a beach break, that glassy window will make it smooth. It’s a good one for the experienced surfers, as 5 ft is a bit much for beginners.

Now, the end of the forecast period gets wild. From Saturday the 8th afternoon through to the 12th of August, we see a massive swell pulse. The combined energy goes through the roof: 951 on Saturday, 1922 on Sunday, 4346 on Monday, 4563 on Monday afternoon. The swell height jumps to 7 ft, 10 ft, and then 12 ft from the ESE and E. Periods are a solid 12-13 seconds, so it’s proper groundswell. The winds are offshore or cross-offshore, and the conditions are clean.

But here’s the thing: the guidance says this is too big for the beach break. The wave heights are 7 ft to 12 ft, which is expert-only territory. For a beach break, these long-period swells can break too straight and close out. This setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. If you’re a solid expert, you might find a bomb, but the crowds will be inevitable, and the currents will be nasty.

Thursday the 13th of August sees the swell dropping back to 6 ft, but the conditions are still marginal with a cross-shore wind. The energy is strong (1058), but the tide might mess with it.

Friday the 14th of August morning is the last real highlight. It’s glassy, 4 ft from the ESE, 12-second period, and 478 energy. Clean, solid, and a good way to end the run.

So, the best on offer is Sunday the 2nd of August for the small, clean conditions, and Friday the 7th of August morning for the glassy 5 ft surf. The big stuff from the 8th to the 12th is too big for the beach, but it’s a sight to see.

Rusty.

Read more