Ammonias Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s be straight – it’s a bit of a flat spell for Ammonias. This is a reef setup, exposed to the swell, and the optimum direction is SSE. Over the next couple of weeks, there’s not much to get excited about. Most days are either marginal or just plain poor. The winds are mostly cross or cross-on, and the water temp is about average for the time of year.

We’ll kick off on Tuesday the 15th of September with some waist-high swell from the SW, around 2ft, and a very long period of 20 seconds. That period is a good sign for a reef like this – it’ll push in with real shape and energy. The combined swell energy is moderate (507). But the trouble is the wind: a moderate cross-breeze at 12 mph from the ENE, keeping things a bit lumpy with a cross-chop. It’s marginal, and the tide could muck it up. Not a standout, but if you’re desperate, you might get a few.

Wednesday the 16th is much the same – 3ft from the SW in the morning, period 18 seconds, moderate cross-energy (518). Wind is still ENE at 12 mph, cross. The afternoon bumps up to 3ft from the SSW, still a long period of 18 seconds, with stronger combined energy (634). Still cross-wind, still marginal. The best of the whole run? Honestly, that’s as good as it gets until the very end.

You have to wait. Thursday the 17th afternoon sees a jump in height to 7ft from the ENE but with a shocking period of only 7 seconds – that’s windswell junk, crumbly and weak. Combined energy is 960, moderate, but the score is zero. Friday the 18th morning has 3ft from the SSW at 17 seconds, with combined energy of 1125 – that’s moderate to strong – but the wind is cross-on and choppy. Afternoon is cross-shore but still marginal.

From Saturday the 19th right through to Monday the 22nd, it’s a mix of 3ft to 5ft swell, mostly short period windswell (8 to 15 seconds). Winds are cross or cross-on, and it’s all scoring zero or one. Not worth paddling out. The energy is moderate to strong, but the quality just isn’t there.

Now, hold tight for the last few days. Tuesday the 29th of September afternoon brings a small 3ft from the SSW at 16 seconds, with combined energy 380 – weak. But check this: the wind goes cross-off at 16 mph from the NE. That’s clean. The reef will be tidy. It’s still marginal with the tide, but that’s the cleanest window. Wednesday the 30th of September morning has 2ft from the SSW at 15 seconds (284 energy) with a cross-off breeze from the NNE at 12 mph. Glassy-ish, clean. For a reef like Ammonias, that little pulse on the 29th afternoon and the 30th morning is the pick – small but clean. Crowds are often here, so you might have company.

If you’re a beginner, nothing here gets over 5ft until the 7ft windswell of the 17th, which is poor quality and short period. The bigger stuff in the 5ft to 6ft range on the 22nd to 24th is also short period and messy – better for kite surfing than paddling.

Overall, this 16-day outlook is lean. The best true standout is the small clean window on Tuesday the 29th afternoon and Wednesday the 30th morning. Otherwise, it’s a waiting game.

Rusty.

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