Windang Island Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty, and I’m looking at what’s on offer for us over the next couple of weeks. Honestly, the first week and a half is a bit of a write-off, with barely any bump in the water. The real story here is a solid late-season groundswell that's set to arrive right at the end of the month and into early September, but you’ll need some patience and a bit of experience to handle it.

The main break to keep an eye on is Windang Island (Illawarra), a reef and point set-up that’s exposed to the swell and likes an offshore from the west. The water temp is sitting at 65°F, which is pretty normal for this time of year, so no surprises there.

For the first week, from Thursday the 20th through to the end of the month, it’s a real flat spell. We’ve got a few brief windows of glassy conditions, like Sunday the 23rd morning with a weak 2 ft south swell and a combined energy of only 87, but it’s just too small and weak to get excited about. The wind is often going the wrong way, and the period is short, around 6 to 9 seconds, so there’s no real push. Expect a long stretch of small, ordinary surf until things start to change.

The standout period kicks off around Sunday the 30th of August. By morning, a moderate north cross-shore is blowing, but the swell is building to 6 ft from the NE with a period of 8 seconds and energy jumping to 379. It’s still a bit messy, but it’s a sign of things to come. By Monday the 31st morning, the wind swings light cross-off from the NNW and the swell is a solid 7 ft from the ENE, with a period of 8 seconds and energy of 693. That’s when it starts to get really good, and the break will be clean and firing.

But the absolute best session in this entire outlook is Tuesday the 1st of September morning. We’ve got a solid 12 ft groundswell from the east, with a period of 10 seconds and a massive combined energy of 2207. The wind is offshore from the west at 12 mph, meaning clean, lined-up waves. This is expert territory, though – at over 8 ft, it’s only for those with serious experience, especially on a reef and point where the power will be concentrated. The period is moderate, so the sets won’t be too drawn out, but the energy is undeniable.

The surf stays good through the 2nd and 3rd, with the swell slowly dropping but still in the 5 ft to 8 ft range and clean conditions, especially on the 4th of September morning when it goes glassy with a 5 ft south-southeast swell. That would be a nice fun-size day for a wider range of surfers.

So, to sum it up: don’t bother with the first week and a half. Mark your calendar for Monday the 31st of August through to Thursday the 4th of September. The absolute standout is Tuesday the 1st of September morning – that’s your best shot at some serious, memorable waves, but it’s not for the faint-hearted.

Rusty.

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