Blacks Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, grab your board. Rusty here.

To be straight with you, the next week and a half or so is a slow grind. We’ve got a lot of days where the ocean just isn't cooperating. The first real hopeful window doesn't open up until about Friday, 5th of September, and even then, it's a bit of a tease. Before that, there are long gaps of nothing worth paddling for.

The only spot worth talking about is Blacks Beach. It’s an exposed, advanced break that needs a good WNW swell to really light up, and it's consistent when it gets it. The water temp right now is sitting at 72°F, which is over four degrees warmer than usual for this time of year – feels more like summer holding on.

For the next several days, it's mostly small, wind-affected junk. The swell is there, coming from the SW, but it’s weak. On Sunday the 23rd, we see a 2ft SW swell at a long 18 seconds. That’s a classic, drawn-out groundswell, but the energy reading is low (359) and the wind is onshore. Not a good look. That pattern holds all week – onshore or cross-onshore winds muck up those small, long-period waves. The energy stays in the "moderate" range on Friday the 28th (428-454) with a 3ft swell, but the wind is barely forgiving, giving us "marginal" conditions at best.

The weekend of the 29th-30th picks up a little. Saturday the 29th has a 4ft – 4ft SSW swell, and the combined energy climbs over 700. Still, the wind is either on or cross-on, so it’s not going to be clean. You might find a few, but you'll be working for them. The combined energy on Sunday the 30th (681) is solid, but a moderate cross-shore breeze from the SSW will leave a bit of chop on the surface.

There's a big drop-off early the next week. Monday the 1st of September is flat with a 1ft swell and weak energy. Then a few more days of tiny, marginal junk.

Now, for the standout, you have to wait until Friday, 5th of September. The morning of the 5th sees a 4ft SSW swell, building from the day before (combined energy hits 1007 on the 4th), but the real winner is Saturday morning, 6th of September. That’s the one. The swell holds at a solid 4ft from the SSW, but more importantly, the wind goes light offshore from the NE – that’s clean. The conditions are described as "clean" with a 4ft SSW swell and a combined energy of 772. For Blacks Beach, that’s the moment. It’s still an expert wave and crowds are inevitable, so get there early, but that morning is your best shot for the whole 16 days.

Keep your expectations low until that last weekend. It’s a waiting game.

- Rusty

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