Well, it has been a very warm and a very humid, week of weather this past week, with a few showers of rain about as well to briefly cool things down but the warm weather is certainly bringing an increase in crowd numbers on the beaches.
Looking ahead to today and then across the weekend, the forecast is suggesting the chance of showers through today, before mostly sunny skies return for the weekend, along with more warm temperatures and high humidity.
This morning’s winds are expected to be from the E/SE at 10 to 15 knots before they increase to 15 to 20 knots this afternoon.
Tomorrow will then bring lighter E/SE winds at around 10 knots before they then shift to be from the NE in the afternoon at 10 to 15 knots.
Sunday should then deliver light (5 to 10 knots) N/NE winds in the morning before they increase to be 10 to 15+ knots later in the day.
Swimming
Swimming conditions have been ok this week without being great, although this has been dependant on the beach you are visiting, with choppy and wobbly conditions the norm at most beaches.
Looking ahead, we can probably expect the worst of the swimming conditions today with moderate E/SE winds set to whip-up chop and slop across most beaches, and particular those open and exposed beaches.
However, conditions should ease slightly across the weekend as the winds also ease back to be only light to moderate and gradually swing to be more from the N/NE as well.
Tomorrow morning should be pretty good at most beaches, although it will be low tide early but then from tomorrow afternoon and throughout Sunday, the better beaches for swimmers will certainly be Elliott Heads and Kelly’s Beach.
The best time for a swim will be from mid to late morning and through until mid-afternoon.
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!
Today: 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 Beach, Oaks Beach and Agnes Water, 1 to 5 pm at Elliott Heads and Moore Park Beach.
Sunday: 9 am to 5 pm at Elliott Heads, Kelly’s Beach, Nielson Park Beach, Moore Park Beach and Agnes Water plus a rove lifeguard in the Bundaberg Region.
Surfing
There have been plenty of fun-sized waves across local beaches this week, but the waves have been very sloppy and messy due to the onshore and shifting winds.
These fun-sized waves should continue at least through today and possibly even across the weekend but the key is going to be the ability to find beaches where the waves are a little cleaner and less messy!
Today and again tomorrow morning as well, will be worth a look at Nielson Park Beach, Agnes Water, Mon Repos or Moore Park Beach.
But once the winds turn NE from about Saturday afternoon onwards, your best options may well be to head to Kelly’s Beach or even around the old mouth of the Elliott River in the hope of finding some cleaner long-board waves.
Good Luck!
For the SUP and ocean ski paddlers chasing a downwind paddle, today may well provide enough wind for a south to north run, but then the weekend afternoons should have enough juice for a north to south run.
For those chasing a more relaxed and gentler paddle though, my suggestion would be to hit the beach early tomorrow morning, or head to Kelly’s Beach or Elliott Heads on Sunday morning.
Events
A local Junior Surf Life Saving Carnival is being held at Elliott Heads on Sunday, commencing at 9 am.
Last week’s beach report: Summer starts on local beaches
