Back Strands Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s happening with Back Strands. We’ve got a bit of a flat spell to get through, but there’s a solid run of surf coming in the second week that’s worth keeping an eye on.

Right now, we’re starting on Sunday the 23rd with almost nothing. Just a tiny 1ft glassy wave on offer, but it’s weak and not really worth paddling out for. The water’s sitting at 62°, which is a touch warmer than average for this time of year.

Monday the 24th is where things perk up a little. The morning is a bit ordinary with a cross-off breeze, but by the afternoon we get some glassy conditions and a clean 4ft swell from the west with 10 seconds of period. That’s a decent little window – the swell energy is moderate (270), and it’s clean. Not a standout, but a nice session if you’re keen.

Then we hit a dry spell. From Tuesday the 25th right through to Thursday the 5th of September, it’s mostly poor. Winds get strong and are often onshore or cross-onshore, and the swell drops right down to tiny mush. There’s a brief glimmer of clean conditions on Wednesday the 27th afternoon with offshore wind and 2ft, but it’s just not enough to get excited about. The first week is pretty much a write-off.

Now, the real action starts on Saturday the 5th of September. That morning we’ve got a moderate offshore breeze and a 5ft west swell with 10 seconds of period, clean waves and strong energy (392) – that’s a very solid session. But the standout is that afternoon: glassy conditions, an 8ft west swell, and a 10-second period. The combined energy is massive at 1418. It’s going to be big. This is expert territory – too big for beginners – but for anyone with experience, this is the pick of the whole 16-day window. The direction is west, which is spot-on for what Back Strands likes.

Sunday the 6th keeps the good times rolling with an 12ft WNW groundswell and 11-second period. The energy is enormous (2756 in the morning, 2546 in the afternoon). This is a very long-period groundswell, which means it’ll have plenty of punch and long gaps between sets. It’s going to be peeling nicely at this reef setup. Winds are light and clean – offshore in the afternoon. Again, this is only for experienced surfers. The crowd factor here is listed as ‘sometimes’, so you might have some company, but with that size, plenty will be sitting it out.

Monday the 7th sees the swell back down to 6ft in the morning with a moderate offshore, clean and powerful (756 energy). Still a great day, but easing off. The afternoon drops to 4ft and is more marginal.

So, to sum it up: don’t bother with the first week and a bit. The absolute best is Saturday the 5th of September afternoon and Sunday the 6th of September – big, clean, powerful west and WNW swells. These are the standouts. Mark your calendar.

Stay safe out there.
Rusty.

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