Backdoor 4 Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s get stuck into this one. It’s a bit of a waiting game for Backdoor 4 over the next ten days or so, but there’s a solid pay-off right at the end of the month if you’ve got patience. The water temp is sitting at about 64°F, which is pretty average for this time of year, so nothing weird going on there.

Right now, Tuesday afternoon, it’s messy. We’ve got a 4ft easterly swell with a short 7-second period, cross-shore wind, and the combined energy is only moderate. The waves are just poor. You wouldn’t bother.

Wednesday morning the 19th looks promising for a quick, cheeky session. The wind goes glassy – dead calm – and there’s a small 3ft swell from the east. The energy is moderate but it’s clean. It won’t be big, but it could be fun if you’re keen for a little glide. Wednesday afternoon the wind swings onshore and chops it up again, so that window is short.

From Thursday the 20th right through to the morning of Saturday the 29th, it’s pretty much a write-off. There’s a string of tiny swells, poor winds, and low energy – most days the wave energy sits weak. You’ll find a couple of moments where it’s glassy or clean, like Saturday morning the 22nd (1ft from the NE, glassy), but the swell is just too small to get excited about. It’s a long quiet stretch of almost ten days.

Then things finally wake up on the afternoon of Saturday the 29th of August. A proper 5ft south swell rolls in with a very long 12-second period, combined energy pumping at moderate-strong. The wind is moderate offshore from the SSW, clean. The call is “very good” and it finally feels like surf season again.

Sunday the 30th is the standout, but it’s only for experts. The morning sees an 8ft S groundswell with an 18-second period – that’s very long period, massive energy. Offshore wind, clean. But that size at Backdoor 4 is only for the experienced crew. By the afternoon it’s up to 12ft, still from the south but period dropping a little to 16 seconds. Still massive energy and clean. This is serious swell for serious surfers only.

Monday the 31st, the swell drops to a still-chunky 6ft from the south, 12-second period, and the wind goes glassy – zero. Combined energy is strong. The report says “excellent” for experienced surfers. This would be the cleaner, more manageable day after the peak, and the glassy conditions make it a real gem for those who know what they’re doing.

After that, into the first days of September, it fades back down again. Tuesday the 1st has glassy morning conditions with a 3ft south-southeast swell, 10-second period, and moderate energy. It’s okay, but nothing compared to that weekend blast. Wednesday the 2nd is small and glassy in the morning, but the afternoon turns onshore and choppy.

So, the one-two punch is the afternoon of the 29th and the Monday the 31st. The Sunday is for the hardcore only. If you want clean waves without the massive size, Monday morning the 31st with glassy conditions on a 6ft south swell is your best bet.

Rusty.

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