Backdoor 4 Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, grab a cup of coffee, let's get into it. The outlook for the next couple of weeks is a real mixed bag. We're looking at Backdoor 4, a very consistent reef break over on the east side of the island. The water temp is sitting at 63°F, which is pretty much normal for this time of year, so no surprises there with the wetsuit thickness.

The first few days, from the 19th through to the 24th, are a write-off. We're talking tiny, weak swell with poor energy readings, often in the double digits, and the wind is mostly cross-on or onshore, making things choppy. It's a real flat spell, so you can leave the board in the car for a solid week.

Things start to show a little pulse on the morning of Tuesday the 25th. We get a jump in swell energy to 194 (moderate energy) with a 4ft swell from the ENE. The wind is a light cross-offshore breeze, which will keep it clean. But honestly, it's still just surfable, nothing to get too excited about.

The first real standout comes on Thursday the 27th. The afternoon session is looking tasty. The swell builds to 5ft from the south with a nice 11-second period, giving it some real push. The energy jumps to 495 (moderate wave energy), and the wind goes clean offshore from the SSE. This is the best window in the near term.

Then, hold on to your board. The end of the month and into early September is a monster. The swell is going to become massive, but it's going to be a serious problem. From the 30th of August through to the 3rd of September, we're looking at overhead-to-double-overhead-plus surf. The 30th afternoon sees an 8ft south swell, and by the 31st morning it's 10ft, with energy readings hitting 2795. By the 1st of September, it's 15ft with a staggering 12531 energy reading. This is expert-only territory, and the wind is not good—mostly cross or cross-on, making it lumpy. The waves are predicted to be too big for this break, so this is more of a massive, dangerous spectacle than a session. Even the 3rd of September morning, with a 8ft SE swell, is still too big for the conditions.

So, to sum it up: the best bet for a clean, fun wave is the afternoon of Thursday, 27th August at Backdoor 4. The offshore wind and solid south swell will make for some proper lined-up waves. Everything else before that is flat, and everything after that is a massive, windy swell that's best watched from the shore. That's the call for this stretch.

Rusty

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