Back Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright my friends, Rusty here. Let’s break it down.

We got a solid groundswell coming, but this ain't for the timid. The first real chance to get wet is Tuesday afternoon, September 8th, at Back Beach. The ocean is pushing a big 10-foot swell out of the WSW, with a very long 17-second period, packing a massive 5755 units of energy. Water temp is 65°, which is a hair cooler than normal for this time of year, nothing crazy. The wind is cross-off, so the surface will be clean, but honestly, this swell is too big for this spot. It’s expert-only territory. The power is immense.

The rest of the first week into the second is a mixed bag, mostly marginal. Wednesday and Thursday have some cleaner windows with the swell dropping, but the scores are low. The real standout, the one that gets the heart racing, is Thursday morning, September 10th. The swell has dropped to a more manageable 6 feet from the WSW, with a long 15-second period. The energy is still strong at 1574, but the key is the offshore wind from the ENE. It’s a moderate breeze, but it’s offshore, giving you clean, proper waves. This is the best session on offer for the experienced surfer.

After that, the swell comes back up, but the wind gets ugly. From Friday, September 11th, through the end of the first week, we get a long stretch of onshore and cross-shore winds. The swell is there, but the quality goes to hell. The period gets long, hitting 19 seconds on Friday, which is a very long period groundswell. For a beach break like Back Beach, that long period makes the waves break too straight and fat. You’d want a point or a reef.

We hit a serious dry spell in quality from the 13th through the 18th. There are a few mornings with decent swell and clean conditions, like Monday morning, September 14th, with an 8-foot WSW swell and a gentle cross-off wind. That’s another good one for the experienced crew. But the afternoon winds shift, and it’s all chop. The 17th and 18th are a complete washout with strong winds and poor conditions.

Now, the final week gets wild. From September 19th, we’re looking at another massive pulse of swell. The energy numbers go through the roof, hitting 15314 on Sunday morning, September 20th, with a 16-foot WSW swell and a very long 18-second period. The wind is cross-off, so the waves might be clean, but the size is monstrous. This is serious big-wave territory. The 21st and 22nd of September, Monday and Tuesday, are also absolute giants, with 15-foot and 12-foot swells and clean cross-off winds. The energy is still in the thousands. All these sessions are rated as too big for this break. For the average surfer, no way. For the big-wave addicts with the right gear, it’s a potential mission. But that’s a long way out, so don’t book your flights just yet.

Rusty.

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