LifestyleChoppy swimming conditions continue

Choppy swimming conditions continue

choppy and messy conditions
Craig Holden says looking ahead to today and across the weekend, choppy and messy conditions will continue.

Well, it has been a week of windy conditions across the local region with plenty of scattered showers about as well – not exactly perfect beach conditions that is for sure.

Looking ahead to the coming days, and unfortunately the forecast is not a lot better, but it will gradually improve.

Moderate onshore winds will continue across the weekend, but these winds will be lighter through the early mornings but then stronger through the afternoons.

Showers are forecast to continue through today and tomorrow so keep an eye on the sky when panning your beach trip.

The forecast for today is for gusty S/SE to E/SE winds at around 20 knots throughout the day, but they will gust to 20+ knots through the afternoon.

Tomorrow will then bring more S/SE to E/SE winds at around 15 knots through the morning before they increase to around 20 knots through the afternoon.

Sunday should then see a slight decrease in wind speeds, with S/SE to E/SE winds at around 10 knots in the morning and then increasing to around 15 knots.

Swimming

The swimming conditions have been ordinary for the majority of this past week, with choppy and messy conditions the norm and especially on those open and exposed beaches.

Looking ahead to the coming days and we can expect these choppy and messy conditions to continue through today and tomorrow, before they start to ease by Sunday.

The early mornings will be slightly better for the early risers, but the afternoons will almost certainly provide choppier and messier ocean conditions.

There will also be a side current or sweep pushing from right to left across most beaches as well, so just be cautious in the ocean over the coming days.

The protected beaches will be the best locations for swimmers, and the mornings will also be the best time for a swim – probably up until around mid-morning.

Hervey Bay will be the pick of the beaches, but aside from that, Agnes Water (adjacent to the headland) will be quite OK, and then locally your better spots will likely be Moore Park Beach and Nielson Park.

Please check with the surf 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: weekdays – 9 am to 5 pm at Kelly’s Beach and Agnes Water only

Saturday – 9 am to 5 pm at Kelly’s Beach, Nielson Park, Oaks Beach and Agnes Water; 1 pm to 5 pm at Elliott Heads and Moore Park Beach

Sunday – 9 am to 5 pm at Elliott Heads, Kelly’s Beach, Nielson Park, Oaks Beach, Moore Park Beach and Agnes Water

Surfing

This past week has thrown up plenty of varied and mixed surf conditions for the board-riders, with a few opportunities for finding some fun waves, but the wind generally has made conditions quite messy and sloppy.

This will likely be the same scenario for today and tomorrow as well, but the early mornings may be okay if the wind is lighter then, as should Sunday be okay too once the winds ease back in strength.

Locations such as Agnes Water, Mon Repos, Nielson Park and Moore Park Beach will be the better locations over coming days, with the mornings expected to be the better time of day.

Good luck!

For the SUP and ocean ski paddlers, there should be plenty of opportunities for a slick south to north downwind paddle through today and again tomorrow, before the winds ease on Sunday, and turn more from an E direction.

For those chasing a more relaxed and gentler paddle though, either hit the ocean very early in the morning, or else try the inland waterways.

Events

Good Luck to our local Masters and Open surf lifesavers that will be competing at the 2023 Queensland Surf Lifesaving Championships on the Sunshine Coast (Mooloolaba) from today until Sunday.

More news: Food van operator wanted for Crawford Park

LATEST NEWS

>