Back Strands Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s shaping up for Back Strands.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – the next week and a half is looking pretty grim. There’s a lot of wind and messy conditions on the menu before we see any real quality. The water is sitting at 62°F, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, but that’s small comfort when the surf’s blown out.

We kick off on Thursday, 3rd September with some small waves around 3ft, but a 12 mph cross-offshore wind from the SSW is keeping things clean. The problem is the swell is weak, with combined energy at just 97, and the period is short at 7 seconds. It’s surfable but hardly worth the paddle. That afternoon, things get worse as the wind swings SW and picks up to 22 mph, turning the surf lumpy. Friday, 4th September brings a big jump in size – 12ft from the west with a 12-second period – but the wind is howling onshore at 28 mph, making it a total mess. The energy is massive at 4068, but it’s a kite-surfing setup, not for paddle surfing. That trend continues through the weekend with strong winds and cross-chop.

Monday, 7th September sees the swell drop to 7ft, but the wind is still fresh and cross-shore, keeping the surface lumpy. The energy is moderate at 555. Tuesday, 8th September has another big pulse of 10ft from the WNW, but with onshore winds at 25 mph, it’s a write-off. The energy is strong at 1215, but it’s not for us. The whole first week is a write-off for clean, quality waves.

Now, there’s a couple of little windows that tease us. On Saturday, 12th September, we finally get a break. The morning brings a clean 8ft swell from the WNW with a 13-second period and a light offshore breeze from the ESE at 6 mph. The energy is strong at 1935, and it’s excellent for experienced surfers. The afternoon is a touch smaller at 6ft, but still clean with gentle offshore winds. That’s the standout session – the best on offer across the whole forecast. The long period (13 seconds) means it’s a proper groundswell, so it’ll wrap in nicely, but those long gaps between sets mean you’ve got to be patient.

Tuesday, 15th September also looks promising. The morning is clean with 4ft from the WNW and a 10-second period, and the wind is light. By the afternoon, it goes glassy – dead calm – with the same 4ft. That’s a dreamy session for a log or a fish, with energy at 300, so it’s moderate. Good luck getting a wave to yourself though, as crowds are sometimes an issue here.

Beyond that, the swell drops off again and the wind turns nasty from the 17th onward. So, to sum it up: the first week and a half is largely a gap with no real recommendations. The only true standouts are the morning of Saturday, 12th September for the bigger, cleaner groundswell, and Tuesday, 15th September for the glassy, smaller waves. Don’t hold your breath for the rest.

Rusty.

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