Westport-The Groins Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here, looking at the surf prospects for Westport-The Groins. This is a classic “waiting game” outlook, plain and simple. The first half of the run is mostly junk, with a few glimmers of something rideable before the ocean turns back into a washing machine. There’s no big swell on the horizon, so we’re looking at small, clean windows rather than any real power. It’s going to take some patience, and honestly, the early part of this stretch is more about reading a book on the beach than waxing up.

The next 16 days are a slow burn. The opening days are pretty much a write-off with poor conditions and messy, choppy seas. You won't miss anything there. There is a brief clean spell around Friday the 11th and Saturday the 12th, then it gets ordinary again before a couple of small, clean mornings pop up. The pattern is all over the place, with winds swinging around constantly, so you have to be picky about your window.

Let’s break it down. The beginning of the period, Wednesday and Thursday the 9th and 10th, are a complete no-go. The swell is small and the wind is cross-onshore, making everything a lumpy mess. On Thursday afternoon, the swell bumps up to 5.6ft, but that’s with a short 8-second period and moderate onshore wind, so it’s just mush and chop. Not surfable.

Now, here’s your first real window. Friday morning the 11th, the wind switches offshore and light (5 km/h from the west), and we get a clean 5ft at 9 seconds. It’s the first day that actually looks decent, with that clean energy. The combined swell energy is at 720, which is moderate, but the quality is there. It's not big, but it’s clean. Later that afternoon, it drops off to 2.6ft with a longer 16-second period, but a cross-shore wind kicks in and makes it a bit scratchy. I’d be out there early on Friday. That’s the one to get.

Saturday the 12th also has some early promise. The morning is glassy with a light southerly breeze, a clean 3ft of southwest swell at 15 seconds. It’s not firing, but it’s clean and there’s a push of energy. This is your second good call. After that, Sunday the 13th through to Tuesday the 15th is a letdown. The swell drops, the winds get messy, and we are left with tiny, ordinary waves. Thursday the 17th has clean conditions, but the swell is tiny, around 3.3 – 3.9ft. There's a chance to get some rides, but you'll have to work for it.

Now, this next bit is where things get interesting for a specific kind of surfer. The 18th and 19th have proper offshore winds, but the swell is tiny. On Friday the 18th, the period is a whopping 21 seconds, but it’s only 1.3ft. That’s all push and no size. By Saturday the 19th, the wind picks up to a fresh 30 km/h offshore, making it clean, but the swell is only 2ft. It's a frustrating tease. The cleanest of the bunch is Sunday the 20th morning: dead calm, glassy conditions, and a 2.3ft southwest swell at 18 seconds. It’s pretty but tiny. The water temp is about average for this time of year.

For the rest of the run, the wind turns onshore again and the swell stays small. Not much to get excited about. I want to give you a heads-up on the beach setup here. It’s a beach/jetty break, and with these long-period swells, places like this can go a bit wonky. A long period (over 15 seconds, and we see up to 21) can make a beach break mush out or close down. It’s less of an issue at a jetty, but it’s still something to keep in mind. The optimum swell for this spot is from the WSW, and we get plenty of that. The crowds are just sometimes, so you won't be fighting too hard.

So, what's the call? If you want a wave, circle Friday the 11th morning and Saturday the 12th morning. They are the cleanest with the most size in the first week. Beyond that, look at the 17th or the 20th for a small, clean session if you’re desperate. The final few days get blown out again. Keep the hopes low and the waxing light.

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