Alnes Lighthouse Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s break down the surf for Alnes Lighthouse for the next couple of weeks. It’s a bit of a rollercoaster, so we gotta be smart and wait for the good windows.

We start off with a decent pulse of west swell, but the wind is gonna be the main issue early. There’s one killer session on the first day, but then things go flat and sloppy for a stretch, before a much cleaner and more promising run of swell builds for the second week.

Tuesday morning (September 8) is the one to get on. We're looking at a solid 7ft of west swell with a 14-second period from the northwest, which is perfect for this point. The energy is strong. The wind is light and cross-off from the south, keeping the surface clean. It’s a bit much for the beginners, but for the intermediate and above crew, this will be firing. The water temp is 56°F, which is about normal for this time of year. This is the start of the run, and it's a good one.

That morning is the highlight, because by Tuesday afternoon, the wind swings onshore and gets stronger, turning the ocean into a mess. That kicks off a poor stretch. Wednesday and Thursday are small and weak – we’re talking under 4ft of swell with not much energy. There are a couple of clean moments, but the waves are just too small to get excited about. You'd be scratching for anything.

Friday (September 11) morning is still small, but the wind is light and cross-off again. It’s surfable but nothing special. By the afternoon, a strong breeze from the southwest comes in, bumping up the swell but completely wrecking the surface. Not worth the hassle.

Saturday (September 12) is a big water day. The swell jumps to a solid 13ft from the west with a huge jump in energy. But the wind is howling at 25 mph. It’s clean-ish due to the cross-off direction, but at this size and with that wind, this is only for the extreme experts. It’s more of a tow-in or a spectator day. Sunday is similar, but the wind goes onshore, so it’s a complete no-go.

After that, we drop right off. We’re looking at a real lull from Sunday afternoon all the way through to Wednesday of the following week. We're talking small, weak swells with poor winds and choppy conditions. The only faint glimmer is Tuesday morning (September 15) with a 7ft west swell and light offshore winds, but the energy is only moderate and the forecast is shaky. It’s a frustrating period.

Then things start to look up. Friday morning (September 18) sees a tiny, clean 3ft wave with light offshore winds. It’s not much, but at least it’s clean. By the afternoon, it goes glassy, but the swell is still weak. A sign of life, maybe.

The real reprieve comes at the start of the third week. Monday morning (September 21) brings a 7ft west swell and light offshore winds with moderate energy. But the standout is Monday afternoon. The swell fills in to a solid 8ft from the west-northwest with a very long 17-second period. The energy is cranking, and we’ve got a light offshore breeze keeping it clean. This is a serious groundswell, and at a point break like Alnes, that long period will create some beautiful, powerful waves. This is the one to aim for. It’s more than a week out, so it’s a long-range call, but the potential is high. It’s too big for the learners, but for the rest of us, this is the payoff.

Tuesday morning (September 22) continues the run. We’ve still got a solid 7ft of west-northwest swell, a 14-second period, and it’s completely glassy. Another excellent session on the cards. The afternoon is smaller but still very good.

The window closes out on Wednesday (September 23). The swell is still there, but it’s a bit smaller and the wind gets a little tricky. It gets a bit inconsistent and less clean than the previous day.

So, to sum it up. Don’t sleep on Tuesday morning (Sept 8). That’s the first real winner. Then, be patient through a messy and weak stretch. The big one to mark on the calendar is that Monday afternoon (Sept 21), which is looking like the best of the whole run. That long-period west swell with clean winds is a recipe for a classic day at Alnes.

Rusty out.

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