Back Strands Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, let’s get into it. This is Rusty, and I’ve got a 16-day look at Back Strands. Honestly, the first week is a write-off. We’re looking at a lot of onshore or cross-onshore wind, lumpy, messy conditions, and waves that are mostly too weak or just plain rubbish. The swell energy is low to moderate at best, with readings in the 60-839 range early on, but the wind just ruins it. You’ll see a couple of mornings with cleaner conditions, but the swell is too small or the wind is still off. For the first seven days, there’s really nothing worth paddling out for.

Then things start to get interesting, but you have to be patient.

Monday 22nd September – This is the standout of the whole period. Tuesday morning, the 22nd, we get a big pulse of W swell, 16 ft at 13 seconds, with light ENE cross-off wind. The energy is a massive 7302 – strong, powerful stuff. This is expert territory only, very heavy, but if you’ve got the skills and the board, you’ll be in for a serious session. The afternoon goes glassy, NNE 0 mph, with a 12 ft WNW swell, still packing 3910 energy. Clean, lined-up, proper.

Thursday 24th September – Another belter. Thursday morning has a 6 ft WNW swell at a very long 16 seconds, with light SE offshore wind, giving clean conditions and 2137 energy. Excellent for experienced surfers. The afternoon pushes 8 ft W swell at 16 seconds, 3647 energy, with light cross-off wind. This is another day for the crew who know what they’re doing.

Sunday 27th September – A word of caution. The afternoon sees a 13 ft W swell return, but with a SW cross-shore wind of 9 mph. The energy is 3407 – strong – but the wind will chop it up. It’s a marginal call; only worth it if you’re desperate for a big, lumpy paddle.

Water temp is about average for this time of year, no real anomaly to report. Back Strands is a reef break, fairly exposed, and with that consistency, it can handle these swells. The crowd factor is “sometimes” busy, so you might have company on the best days, especially on the 22nd and 24th.

The long-period swells (16 seconds) mean the waves will have plenty of shape and energy, with deeper gaps between sets, making the paddle out a bit easier if you time it right.

So, the good news: there are two true standouts on the 22nd and 24th of September. Mark your calendar. The rest of the fortnight is a lot of waiting and watching. Stay loose.

Rusty

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