Backdoor 4 Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what’s on offer for Backdoor 4. This is a consistent reef break, so it rarely goes completely flat, but the next couple of weeks are a mixed bag. We’ve got some clean windows, some dodgy wind, and a real monster swell lurking out in the second week.

Right now, the water temp is about average for this time of year, nothing wild to report there.

The first real opportunity to get a wave worth talking about kicks off on Thursday, August 13th in the afternoon. We’re looking at a 6 ft S swell with a 9-second period, and the energy is solid (829). The wind is clean and cross-off, so the surface will be nice. It’s a marginal call with the tide, but it’s a definite step up from the choppy stuff earlier in the week.

Friday, August 14th, is where it gets good. The morning is glassy, absolute perfection, with a 4 ft S swell (269 energy). The afternoon stays clean with a cross-off breeze and a touch more size at 4 ft. This is your all-day session window.

Saturday, August 15th afternoon gets a bit of a boost. The swell jumps to 6 ft from the S with an 8-second period, and the wind goes offshore. That’s 452 combined energy, and it’s clean. A bit more punch, but still manageable.

We hit a bit of a lull from Sunday, August 17th, through to the end of the next week. The wind is often cross or cross-on, the swell is messy with short periods (6-8 seconds), and the energy is moderate. It’s surfable, but nothing to get excited about. There are a few glassy mornings (Wednesday, August 19th and Thursday, August 20th) with 5-5 ft ESE swell (342-418 energy), and those are your best bets for a clean, if not powerful, wave.

Now, hold on to your board. The standout is Wednesday, August 26th. The morning is dead flat calm, glassy, with a 10 ft S swell on an 8-second period. The energy is massive (1080). This is a big, powerful swell. The afternoon is even bigger: 12 ft from the S, 10-second period, and a whopping 2839 energy. This is not for the faint-hearted. This is expert zone territory. The swell direction is south, which is a good angle for this exposed reef, but with that size and period, it’s going to be a heavy, serious day. The wind is cross in the afternoon, which will put some texture on it. If you’re a confident charger, Thursday, August 27th also holds a 8 ft S swell (1307 energy) in the morning, but the wind is onshore, so it’s going to be lumpy.

Bottom line: The best all-rounder is Friday, August 14th. Glassy, clean, waist-to-chest high. For the thrill-seekers, mark August 26th in your calendar. That’s a big, gnarly south swell hitting the reef. It’s a long way out, so keep an eye on it, but it has the potential to be the session of the month.

Rusty.

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