It has been a pretty good week on our local beaches this week after a very windy start on Monday, with the general trend since Tuesday being light winds, mostly calm seas, sunny skies, and some warm temperatures – just perfect beach weather!
Looking ahead to today, and across the weekend, we can expect mostly similar conditions as well, although the afternoon will bring more moderate sea breezes and slightly choppier conditions will develop on the ocean after midday.
But generally, the mornings are looking great for beach goers. Today’s winds will be from the N/NW this morning at only 5 to 10 knots before they increase to 10 to 15 knots from the N/NE through this afternoon.
Tomorrow will then bring NE winds at around 10 knots tomorrow morning before they also increase to 15 knots through the afternoon, whilst Sunday will deliver 10 to 15 knots of NE winds, which could even increase to 15+ knots through the afternoon.
Swimming: Swimming conditions improved quickly from Tuesday onwards, particularly once those strong northerly winds left us overnight on Monday, and the ocean has provided mostly calm conditions ever since.
Now, over the coming days, we will see the northerly winds become a little stronger, but this will only be through the afternoons.
Therefore, the trend for the coming days will be mostly calm and ideal swimming conditions through the mornings and then choppy conditions setting in through the afternoons – and particularly on those beaches that face in a more northerly direction, where there will also be a side sweep pushing from left to right as well.
The best beaches for swimmers will certainly be Elliott Heads and Kelly’s Beach, and particularly when the winds increase through the afternoon.
High tides are due around mid to late morning over the coming days too, so this will be great time to have a swim before the winds get too annoying.
Please check with the Lifesavers or Lifeguard on duty, read any safety signage or messages, and most importantly please swim only at patrolled beaches, only between the red and yellow flags, and only during patrol times – remember, if we can’t see you, we can’t save you!
Beach patrols: Today, Saturday, Sunday and Monday – 9.00am to 5.00pm at Elliott Heads, Kelly’s Beach, Nielson Park, Oaks Beach, Moore Park Beach & Agnes Water, plus a Rove Lifeguard operating around the Bundaberg Region Beaches as well.
Weekdays (from Tuesday) – 9.00am to 5.00pm at Kelly’s Beach & Agnes Water only.
Surfing: Local board-riders scored a small window of opportunity to grab some small, clean and fun waves on Tuesday morning after the storm and offshore wind change overnight on Monday, but ever since then the waves have been very small and very poor.
The forecast for northerly winds over the coming days is also not looking good for board-riders either, with only small and slightly messy waves likely.
Perhaps the best chance of finding some sort of a wave could be through early to mid-morning at locations such as Elliott Heads and Kelly’s Beach, but
outside of that, maybe a drive south to Double Island Point could be worthwhile.
For the SUP and ocean-ski paddlers, once again you should be able to find reasonably calm conditions for a leisurely paddle through the early mornings, before the afternoon northerly sea breezes may well provide enough motion in the ocean for a downwind paddle (north to south of course!).
Events: The Queensland Lifesavers Appeal 2021 commences on Saturday 9th October and continues through to Sunday 17th October.
Online donations are encouraged, and you can choose which one of your favourite local Clubs to donate to by visiting: https://qldlifesaversappeal.raisely.com/donate
What would you give to save a life?
Important note: Remember there are UPDATED COVID-19 restrictions, if you are at the beach, please maintain the social/physical distancing minimum guidelines and abide by the current group gathering guidelines as well.
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