Ammonias Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at the forecast for Ammonias.

This stretch of water is a reef break, so it’s got that exposed, raw feel, and it’s fairly consistent. The water temperature is bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there. The optimum swell direction is from the SSE. The problem is, we just aren’t getting that for a good chunk of the outlook.

The first few days – Saturday the 29th and Sunday the 30th – are a write-off. We’re looking at a messy cross and cross-onshore wind from the ENE at 16 mph, with a short, weak swell. The wave energy is stuck in the moderate range (566 to 707), and the surf is just poor. You’d be fighting a chop the whole time, and it’s not worth it.

Monday the 31st and Tuesday the 1st are pretty much the same story. The wind is still a cross-offender, and the swell is a short-period ENE windswell, around 6 ft. Energy is climbing a bit (738 to 915), but it’s still poor, choppy, and messy. Tuesday morning sneaks a marginal score, but honestly, it’s a “maybe if you’re desperate” situation.

Wednesday the 2nd is a weird one. The morning is more of the same ENE windswell, but by the afternoon, a long-period S swell shows up at 3 ft with a 16-second period. That is a proper groundswell. The energy is moderate (818), and the wind is still cross, so it’s not clean, but for a reef break, that long period could wrap in and give you some cleaner lines if the tide plays ball. It’s a marginal call, but the most interesting moment so far.

Thursday the 3rd and Friday the 4th are back to the same old cross-shore ENE wind and a mix of small SSE groundswell and short ENE windswell. Energy is dropping (601 to 535), and the surf is just flat and choppy.

Saturday the 5th sees a bit of a pulse. A 5 ft ESE swell with a period of 12 seconds – that’s a more solid groundswell setup. Energy is up to 829. The wind is still cross, so it’s not perfect, but it’s the first session that’s worth a paddle. The 5 ft is a good size for intermediates, and the longer period means better shape.

Then we hit a blank spot from Sunday the 6th through to Wednesday the 9th. The surf is either poor or marginal, with a choppy mess. The energy is all over the place, but the wind is always a cross-on or cross-offence. It’s not a good run.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. Thursday the 10th of September morning, the wind drops to a light breeze from the E at 6 mph. The swell is 5 ft from the ENE, with a short period (8 seconds). The energy is moderate (639). It’s a cross-onshore wind, but it’s light – so the surf will be a little bumpy but not blown out. For a reef break, that’s a solid session for intermediates. The afternoon looks similar, with a 6 ft swell. This is the best window of the whole outlook.

Friday the 11th is a step back. The wind picks up a bit, and the swell drops to a tiny 3 ft from the SSW with a long period (16 seconds). That’s a groundswell, but it’s small, and the wind is cross-onshore. Not great.

The last two days – Saturday the 12th and Sunday the 13th – are a return to the choppy, cross-onshore ENE windswell. Energy is very low (181 to 420), and the surf is poor. Not worth the drive.

The standout is Thursday the 10th of September. The morning and afternoon both offer a solid 5 ft to 6 ft ENE swell with light cross-onshore wind. The energy is moderate, and the reef will handle the short period better than a beach break. It’s the cleanest, most surfable window in the entire 16-day period. The crowds are listed as “often” at this spot, so expect company, but the conditions should be good enough that it’s worth it.

For the rest, it’s mostly a waiting game.

Rusty.

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