Blacks Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get into it. This is Rusty.

First off, let’s be straight with you: if you’re looking for solid, clean surf over the next couple of weeks, we’ve got a bit of a waiting game on our hands. The only spot that’s even on the cards is Blacks Beach, and it’s going through a real flat spell. Right from the start, Monday the 14th, we’ve got a tiny 4ft swell from the west, but with a cross-on wind, it’s choppy and messy. The water temp is sitting at 73° – that’s nearly 5° warmer than usual for this time of year, which is pretty unusual. Still, doesn’t make up for the poor surf.

The whole first week is a drag. From that Monday right through to Thursday the 17th, expect small, poor-quality swell – mostly under 3ft, with a long period (15-18 seconds) that suggests some energy, but the winds stay cross-on or straight onshore, keeping things bumpy. The combined energy is moderate (around 341 to 497), but it’s wasted. Blowing onshore the whole time. Not a single standout, just a bunch of “poor surf conditions” calls.

Things start to nudge up a little toward Friday the 18th and into the weekend. Swell picks up to 3ft to 3ft from the SSW/SW, and we start seeing some mornings with clean-ish winds – offshore from the WSW or W, light breeze. But the wave comment still hovers around “marginal surf forecast” with scores of just 1 out of 10. Not worth paddling out for unless you’re desperate. The energy levels climb, hitting 550 on the Saturday morning, but the wave heights are just too small to get excited about.

Now here’s the real standout of the whole period – it’s the week after. Monday the 21st through Tuesday the 23rd of September. You get a consistent 3ft to 4ft SW groundswell, with a period around 17 seconds. That’s a proper long-period groundswell, which at Blacks Beach (an exposed spot) means better shaped waves and longer lulls. The winds are light, mostly WSW or W, and offshore at times. The combined energy cranks up to 716 Monday afternoon – that’s moderate to strong energy. This stretch in the middle of the second week is the best on offer. It’s still not huge, so it’s fine for most ability levels, but the clean offshore wind and solid period mean those waves will have some push and shape. Just know that crowds are often at Blacks on a clean day.

After that, into the final few days of September, the swell fades back to 2ft – 3ft, the period drops to 13-16 seconds, and we’re looking at onshore wind again. Tuesday the 29th has a late spike in energy (523) with a light wind, but the swell is only 2ft, so it’s marginal at best.

So overall, it’s a lackluster start, a clean-ish window around the 21st-23rd that’s the best bet, and then a slow fade. Don’t expect fireworks, but if you time it right that Tuesday morning the 22nd with the offshore breeze and head-high groundswell – that’s your session.

Rusty.

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