Whitsand Bay and Tregantle Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, let’s talk about what’s coming up for Whitsand Bay and Tregantle. To be straight with you, it’s a rough patch. I’m looking at the next 16 days and honestly, I’ve got to say the pickings are slim. Right now we’re looking at a long stretch of poor surf conditions, with the water sitting at 66° – that’s a big 4° above average for this time of year, so it’s much warmer than normal. Feels nice for a swim but not so much for waves.

We start here on Sunday, 30th August. The morning has some clouds with a 4ft SW swell and a short 8-second period, combined energy is weak at 221. The wind is onshore from the SSW at 15 mph, so it’s messy. This is poor surf. The afternoon brings a risk of thunderstorms, and the swell bumps up to 6ft, but the period drops to 6 seconds with a stronger onshore blow from the SW at 22 mph. Energy is up a bit to 240, but still weak. It’s not worth paddling out.

Monday, 31st August, has a bit more size but it’s rough. Morning swell is 8ft from the WSW with a 10-second period – that’s a moderate energy at 1716. The wind is cross-shore from the WNW at 19 mph, so it’s lumpy. The afternoon sees 8ft with the same period, but still cross-shore. This is marginal surf at best, and with that size and wind chop, it’s really only for the experienced crew. Beginners, stay on the sand.

Then we hit a real flat spell. From Tuesday, 1st September, through to the end of the first week, swell drops to under 2ft or barely 4ft, periods are short, and winds are onshore or cross. The energy is weak – mostly in the 30-130 range. There’s a small window on Friday afternoon, 4th September, with a 5ft WSW swell, 8-second period, and a gentle cross-shore from the NW at 9 mph giving us a bit of shape, but it’s still poor overall.

The second week is more of the same. We’ve got gaps of several days with no real surf. The 5th and 6th September mornings are clean, with a light cross-offshore breeze and a 1.0ft swell, but it’s tiny. The energy is laughable – 51 and 23. For the rest of the week, it’s mostly flat with onshore winds, small swells, and poor conditions. The only standout might be Thursday morning, 10th September, with a clean 2ft from the SSW, but period is only 4 seconds – weak energy at 35. Not happening.

Toward the end of the 16 days, Saturday, 12th September, has a morning that’s glassy with a 2ft WSW swell, 8-second period, and energy at 54. The wind is glassy from the SSE at 3 mph. It’s clean, but the swell is tiny. Then Monday, 14th September, the morning is glassy again with a 1ft SW swell, 7-second period, and energy at 21. That’s it.

Honestly, there’s no real standout here. The best on offer is Monday morning, 31st August, if you’re an experienced surfer looking for some size, but the wind is cross-shore and lumpy. For clean, rideable waves, you’re looking at the glassy mornings on the 12th or 14th, but the swell is ankle-high. Not a good run for this area – it’s one of those blank periods where the forecasts don’t give us much hope. Could change, but right now, I’d leave the board at home.

Rusty.

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