Al Gal Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here.

Look, I’m not going to sugarcoat it. The next couple of weeks are looking pretty bleak for a proper paddle at Al Gal. We’ve got a whole lot of small, short-period, wind-affected slop on the cards, and not much to get excited about. There’s a real gap at the start of the period where there’s nothing worth your time. From now through to the 22nd, the swell is tiny, mostly under 2ft, with weak energy readings (between 4 and 31). The mornings are often glassy or have a light cross-offshore breeze, which is nice, but there just isn’t any wave to push you along. The afternoons are getting chopped up by a moderate cross-onshore breeze, making it messy and uninviting. It’s a classic case of no swell, no party.

Now, the water’s a talking point. On the 15th, the water temp is sitting at 85°F with a 4°F anomaly. That’s much warmer than normal for this time of year, nearly four degrees above the long-term average, so if you’re just keen for a float, you won’t need a wetsuit. But for surfing, it’s a frustrating wait.

Things start to look slightly less hopeless around the 23rd of September. We finally see a bit more energy pushing in, and while it's still small, there are a couple of windows where it might become semi-fun. The 23rd morning has a 3-3ft northwest swell with a 7-second period and a moderate combined energy of 53. The wind is glassy, and that’s the best we’ve had for a while. It’s still pretty average, but a surfable ankle-to-knee high wave is better than nothing. The energy drops back a bit on the 24th, but the 25th and 26th mornings see similar conditions – light winds, glassy surface, and small WNW swells in the 2-3ft range with energy readings around 48-96. These are the only times I’d even consider paddling out, and even then, it’s one for the log or a foamy, not a shortboard. The afternoons remain poor with a sea breeze messing things up.

Looking further out, into the last week, things get a whisker more interesting but still nothing to call home about. On the 27th, the morning has a cross-offshore breeze and that 3ft WNW swell, and the energy jumps up to 77. It’s still small and period is just 7 seconds, so it won’t have much push, but at least it's clean. The 29th shows a jump in energy to 131, the highest we see in this whole stretch, but the swell direction is a bit more northwest and only 3ft with an 8-second period. It's a moderate energy reading, but that wave is still predominantly small, and with the cross-onshore wind kicking in by afternoon, it’s not going to be pretty.

Honestly, if you’re an expert looking for a barrel, there’s nothing for you. If you’re a beginner, the small clean mornings on the 23rd, 25th, and 26th might be your only shot at some practice on a soft-top. But don’t get your hopes up. This looks like a stretch more interesting for a kite surfer on the afternoon seabreeze than for a dedicated surfer. There’s no standout swell, no real power, and the best options are just "ordinary." The forecast can change, so I’ll be keeping an eye on it, but for now, I’d plan on doing something else with your mornings.

Rusty, out.

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