Explore / Australia · Western Australia
Turtle Bay.
Now
· updated 14 hours ago3m southwest swell at 14-15 seconds peaks Thursday dawn under blown-out northwest wind, dropping to 2m by evening as wind shifts south and eases to moderate. The swell holds through the weekend at 2-3m with 13-16 second period under strong southeast wind before easing to 1-2m early week as wind drops light. Looks like Sunday morning will be the best window.
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About Turtle Bay
Turtle Bay sits at the northern end of Dirk Hartog Island, the 80 km sandstone strip that closes off Shark Bay from the Indian Ocean, 850 km north of Perth. The west coast faces raw ocean against 150 to 200 m limestone cliffs, and everything that breaks here is south-west swell pushed by the Roaring Forties. The bay is Australia’s largest loggerhead-nesting site. Access is by barge from Steep Point or a charter flight to Denham; on-island it’s 4WD or hike.
Peak runs April through October, when southern Indian Ocean storms push south-west swell straight at the west coast. June is the most consistent month. The dominant wind is south-east trade, offshore on the west-facing breaks. Working size starts around 1 m and the reefs hold past 2.5 m. Tide matters at the inside breaks but the outer reefs work through. Pick a forecast window with the trades up and a south-west swell, and you’ve got the bay.
Water runs 20 to 22 °C in September, 23 to 27 °C in March. Boardies and a rashie cover the year, a 2 mm shorty in early winter. The hazards are remoteness, sharks, and the cliffs. No rescue, no service, no crowd: you and your party are the entire lineup. Loggerhead turtles nest from November through March, the off-season for surf. Camping is $20 a night with no facilities. Plan for self-rescue and pack drinking water for the whole trip.