Alnes Lighthouse Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, grab a cuppa and settle in, let’s talk about what’s on offer for Alnes Lighthouse over the next couple of weeks. It’s a bit of a slow start, so don’t rush down there just yet. The first few days are pretty messy for us, with light rain and cross-shore winds making things marginal at best. The swell’s there, around 4ft from the west, but the combo doesn’t do us any favours. Expect small, weak, crumbly waves with the combined energy sitting low (274). The water is sitting at about 55°, which is bang on average for this time of year in this spot – no surprises there, so just your usual wetsuit.

We do see things start to clean up on Thursday morning, the 17th. The wind swings out of the east-northeast, giving us a nice cross-offshore flow, and the swell drops back a touch to 5ft from the NNW. It’s still not huge, but the surface goes clean. This is a decent little window for the intermediate crew, but it’s not the standout.

Now, Friday the 18th is where it gets interesting. The morning session is a real gem. We’ve got glassy conditions, dead calm with just a slight air moving, and a clean 7ft swell rolling in from the west. That’s a proper groundswell with a 15-second period, so plenty of punch and good shape – it’ll be hitting the point nicely. The combined wave energy is strong (1936), so there’s legitimate power behind it. Keep in mind, at 7ft, it’s getting a bit much for beginners, but for the intermediate and up, this is your window. Just be aware that the afternoon gets a little more onshore and lumpy.

Saturday the 19th morning is another strong contender. Offshore wind from the southeast, 6ft from the west with a 12-second period – that’s a clean, lined-up swell. The energy is still very solid (1007). This is a proper session for the experienced surfer who wants a smooth, powerful wave.

As we roll into the second week, the swell stays solid but the weather turns a bit sloppy. Sunday the 20th sees a big 10ft west-southwest swell but with strong cross-off winds that will keep it bumpy. That’s expert-only territory. There’s a potential for a window on Tuesday the 22nd morning with glassy conditions and a 5ft swell, but the period is short (7 seconds), so it’ll be a bit weak and fat.

The real anchor of this forecast, the one you absolutely don’t want to miss, lands on Saturday the 26th of September. The afternoon session is about as perfect as it gets for this spot. We’ve got zero wind – flat calm, glassy – and a solid 8ft west-northwest swell with a very long 16-second period. The combined energy is massive (4772). This is a big, powerful, clean groundswell with perfect surface conditions. This is for experienced surfers only, no question, as the size and power will be intimidating for anyone else. The point break handle this long period energy beautifully, so expect long, racy walls and plenty of juice. This is the one to circle on your calendar.

After that, the swell starts to drop fast into Monday and Tuesday the 28th and 29th, and the wind turns onshore again, so the run ends on a quiet note by the 30th.

So, to wrap up: the best of the best is Saturday afternoon the 26th at Alnes Lighthouse. The repeat stand-out is Friday morning the 18th. Get on it if you can.

Rusty

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