Blacks Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, let’s talk about the stretch ahead for Blacks Beach. The 16-day surf forecast is a lesson in patience. We’re looking at a long stretch of small, weak, and often messy conditions, before a real shot of quality energy finally arrives in the second week. The water is sitting at 72°, which is a full 4° warmer than normal for this time of year, so you’ll be comfortable in a spring suit or even boardshorts, which is a rare treat.

Right now, through this weekend and into the first few days of September, it’s pretty grim. We’ve got a persistent south-west swell, but it’s tiny, mostly 2ft to 3ft, with periods that are long enough (16-19 seconds) to hint at proper groundswell, but the energy just isn’t there. The combined energy is mostly in the mid-to-high 200s to low 400s (moderate at best), and the wind is often cross-on or onshore, leaving it choppy and poor. The best we get is a marginal rating with light winds, but the swell is just too small to get excited about. There’s a gap of nearly a week here where I wouldn’t bother paddling out.

Things start to show a pulse of life around the 3rd of September. Thursday morning (3rd September) sees a jump in combined energy to 901 (moderate) with a 3ft, 20-second SSW groundswell, and the wind is light and offshore from the WSW. That’s a legit window. The period is very long, so it will be a clean, powerful wave at Blacks, but with that long period, it might wall up and throw a bit of a tube on the reef. The afternoon gets a bit cross-on, so the morning is the call.

The standout moment, however, is the first half of Friday the 4th of September. That morning is shaping up to be the best on offer. Swell holds at 4ft from the SSW, still a solid 17-second period, and the combined energy hits 1062 (strong). More importantly, the wind is light and offshore from the west. This is going to be clean, lined-up, and with that much energy, there will be some proper set waves. The crowd will be there (it’s often busy), but for a Friday morning with that quality, it’s worth the paddle. It’s still a manageable size for the advanced crew, but beginner surfers should be careful as it’s edging past the 5ft mark.

The weekend of the 5th and 6th of September sees the swell drop back a little, but still holding around 4ft to 5ft, with light offshore winds again. It’s a solid run of clean days, but the energy dips a bit. By Monday the 7th of September, the wind turns messy again and the quality drops out.

Overall, the best window is a clear one: the morning of Thursday the 3rd of September, and the standout is the morning of Friday the 4th of September. That Friday is the one to circle. It’s a long-range call, so keep an eye on it, but the signs are there for a proper day.

See you in the water.
Rusty

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