Bay of Martyrs Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s chew the fat on what’s brewing for Bay of Martyrs.

We’ve got some serious energy on the way. This is an exposed reef, and the swell is locking in from the southwest – the sweet spot for this place. The long periods mean the waves will have proper shape and punch. The water is sitting around 57°F, which is about normal for this time of year – nothing weird going on.

Wednesday morning, September 2nd, starts us off with a 12 ft SW swell running at a lazy 16 seconds. The wind’s from the NW, cross-off, at 12 mph, and it’s clean. That’s a decent introduction (energy reading 5996). It’s an advanced wave, and the reef is inconsistent, so you need to know the lineup. The afternoon holds a similar 13 ft SW swell.

Thursday the 3rd gets bigger. Morning sees an 18 ft WSW swell, but the wind picks up to 19 mph and goes cross-shore, bringing lumpy cross-chop. The energy is pumping (11042), but it’s not pretty. The afternoon is more of the same. This is expert territory, size-wise.

Now, Friday the 4th of September. That’s the one. Early morning gives us a 16 ft SW swell with that 16-second period, a light NNW cross-off breeze, and it’s clean (12220). Nice. But the real gold is Friday afternoon: still 16 ft SW at 16 seconds, but the wind swings to offshore from the NNW at 16 mph. The report calls it “exceptional” – clean, moderate offshore. That’s your session. It’s for experts only, but if you’re one, it’s going to be magic.

Saturday the 5th is chaotic. A 15 ft WSW swell with a strong 25 mph WNW cross-off, and the energy hits 15337. But that wind is a strong breeze, making it raw and rough. By afternoon the wind turns onshore with rain, and it’s a write-off.

Sunday the 6th settles down. A 12 ft WSW swell on the morning with light cross winds. It’s okay, but nothing special. Energy drops to 4916.

Monday the 7th drops below 7 ft SW with light cross-onshore breezes. Small, weak, and not worth the drive.

Now, here’s a sneaky good one. Tuesday morning, September 8th. The swell’s only 7 ft, but it’s from the SW with a period of 18 seconds – that’s very long-period groundswell. Light offshore cross-off wind from the NNW, and it’s clean. It’s a good, long-lined reef wave for experienced surfers. Energy is moderate at 3829, but that long period will make the sets stand up nicely.

The rest of the first week flattens out with onshore winds and lumpy conditions from the 9th through the 10th. Thursday the 10th has a huge 20 ft SSW swell (18152 energy), but the wind is light and cross – just too big for this break for anyone but the insane. Same story on the 17th of September: a 20 ft SW bomb (20720 energy) with cross-onshore wind and chop. Too big and too messy.

For the second week, it’s calmer but less exciting. Friday the 11th morning is clean with offshore wind and a 10 ft SW swell. Nice, but not the peak. The rest of the week is a mix of 7 to 12 ft SW swells with light to moderate cross and cross-off winds. Nothing huge, nothing awful.

The absolute standout is Friday afternoon, September 4th, at Bay of Martyrs. 16 ft of long-period SW groundswell with clean, offshore wind. The waves will have massive power and top-to-bottom shape. It’s an inconsistent reef for experts only, but that window is as close to perfect as a forecast can get. The secondary call is Tuesday morning, the 8th, for a cleaner, smaller session with those incredibly long lines.

This spot is no joke when it gets over 8 ft – beginners and intermediates, you’ve been warned.

Stay sharp.

Rusty.

Read more