Airports Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a proper look at what’s coming our way.

We’ve got a long stretch ahead, but it’s not all plain sailing. There’s a bit of a slow start, but those who can wait will be rewarded with some real gems, especially towards the end of the month. The water is sitting at a warm 85°F which is pretty much spot on for this time of year, so no need for a thick wetsuit.

The first few days at Airports (a reef set-up) are a bit of a mixed bag. Monday the 17th sees some solid energy in the water with a combined swell energy of 2314, but the wind is straight onshore and the reports are calling it marginal. Not worth getting excited about. Tuesday is similar, with a bit more size but the wind is cross-on. The real story is the groundswell – we’re looking at a very long period of 20 to 21 seconds, which is a proper deep-ocean pulse. That kind of period can mean the waves are a bit too straight for a beach break, but at a reef like Airports, it can set up nicely.

Now, Wednesday morning the 19th is where it gets interesting. The wind drops to glassy, absolutely perfect. The swell is 5ft from the south with a period of 16 seconds and the combined energy is still strong at 1987. This is clean, powerful, and should be offering some excellent waves for experienced surfers. The morning is the standout early in the window.

After that, the swell drops off through Thursday and Friday, down to around 4ft and 5ft, and the wind turns cross-on. The energy drops, and by Saturday the 22nd, the conditions are poor with a combined energy of just 512 and 475. The wind picks up and it gets choppy. There’s a real gap here – from Saturday the 22nd right through to Monday the 24th, the surf is small and a bit messy. We’re looking at a few days where you’d be better off doing something else.

The surf starts to build again on Tuesday the 25th, with the combined swell energy climbing back over 1000. The wind is still cross-on, but the swell is picking up and the period is good. Then Wednesday the 26th morning is another absolute ripper: glassy conditions, 5ft from the SSW, and a combined energy of 1041. That’s another window for the experienced crew to get out there.

The next really good run starts on Friday the 28th, with the swell energy building again. The morning of Saturday the 29th is a beauty – glassy, 5ft from the SSW, period of 15 seconds, and a combined energy of 1168. The afternoon is even better, still glassy, same swell, but with a combined energy of 1353. That’s a full day of clean, quality surf at Airports.

Sunday the 30th sees the swell jump up a bit to 5ft and the period hits 19 seconds, but the wind turns cross-on and the reports are marginal. The energy is massive at 2081, but the wind is messing it up. Monday the 31st and into September, the wind stays onshore and the swell slowly fades. The last real standout is the Saturday the 29th – that’s the pick of the entire forecast.

So, to sum it up: the best bets are Wednesday the 19th morning, Wednesday the 26th morning, and the full day of Saturday the 29th. Those are the only times when the wind is glassy and the swell has some real punch. The rest of the time, you’ll be fighting the wind or the tide.

Rusty.

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