Bird Rock Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Hey, Rusty here. Let’s break down the next two weeks for Bird Rock—gonna be a wild ride, so strap in.

Big Picture: We start with junk—big, chaotic, cross-onshore swell that’s more of a beating than a blessing. But hang tight, because the second half cleans up proper with a couple of days that’ll have you grinning ear to ear. Water’s sitting at 57°F—about normal for this time of year, no surprises there.

The Rough Patch (Sept 8–10): Tuesday afternoon is marginal—5ft of SW swell, but it’s cross-shore and choppy. Not worth paddling out. Wednesday gets ugly—8ft then 12ft of cross-onshore junk, energy readings 4620 and 12766—that’s strong and messy, only for the adrenaline junkies, and even then, you’ll be fighting the wind more than riding. Thursday morning’s a little cleaner at 8ft but still cross—leave it.

First Clean Waves (Sept 11–13): Friday morning (Sept 11) is the light at the end of the tunnel—glass conditions, 5 km/h breeze, and a clean 5ft from the SSW at 14s. That’s a proper window for Bird Rock (reef break, fairly consistent, best from SW). Crowds sometimes, so you’ll have some company, but the waves are smooth. Saturday morning and afternoon are also solid—cross-offshore and offshore winds (5–10 km/h), 5ft and 5ft from SW, 15s periods. These are your first true standouts—clean, lined-up, not massive but juicy. Sunday drops to 4–3ft, clean but weak—still rideable if you’re itching.

The Dead Zone (Sept 14–15): Monday and Tuesday are mostly flat-out poor—swell drops under 2ft, energy sinks to 159–117. Don’t even bother grabbing the board. Tuesday afternoon picks up to 6ft but with cross-onshore chop—not worth the hassle.

Second Week Fire (Sept 16–19): Wednesday (Sept 16) is glass again—5ft from SW, 16s period, energy 1255. Clean and inviting. Thursday (Sept 17) is a double-header—morning offshore, afternoon glass, both around 5ft from SW. Lovely, low-key waves. But the real deal is Friday (Sept 18) and Saturday (Sept 19). Friday morning brings 7ft from SSW with fresh offshore winds (30 km/h)—punchy and clean, but energy’s only 1832, so it’s not a bomb. Saturday (Sept 19) is your best of the whole run: 8ft in the morning, 7ft in the afternoon, both from SW, clean offshore winds, energy readings 2265 and 1801. This is classic Bird Rock—big-ish, lined up on the reef, proper juice. Only for experienced surfers though—anything over 8ft is expert territory, and 8ft is right at that edge. Crowds likely, but you’ll be too busy grinning.

Fading Tail (Sept 20–23): Sunday (Sept 20) slides back to 4–4ft, clean but weak. Then Monday (Sept 21) spikes hard—7ft to 10ft from SW with a 19s period and massive energy (5703 and 5281). That’s a long-period groundswell—perfect for Bird Rock’s reef, but 10ft is expert-only, and the cross-offshore wind keeps it hollow and heavy. Tuesday (Sept 22) morning is the last true gem—8ft from SW, 18s period, energy 4436, slight offshore breeze—big, clean, powerful. That’s the second standout, but it’s a big-wave day—know your limits. Wednesday (Sept 23) settles to 6–6ft, clean cross-offshores, good energy—a solid finish.

Final Call: Best on offer? Saturday Sept 19 and Tuesday Sept 22—the 19th for that sweet 8ft clean combo, and the 22nd for that long-period groundswell at 8ft if you’re advanced. Beginners—stay away from anything over 5ft, so stick to the 5–5ft glassy days on Sept 16–17.

Rusty out.

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