Blacks Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty comin' at ya from the beach. Let's have a look at what we've got cookin' for our local stretch.

Right off the bat, there's some real promise on the table. We've got a nice little pulse of long-period southern groundswell lining up, and if the wind plays nice, we could be in for some proper sessions. The water's sitting at 54° – that's about two and a half degrees cooler than we'd usually expect for this time of year, so you'll want a decent spring suit. Don't let that put you off, though; the early action is where it's at.

We kick things off on Friday, August 28th. First thing in the morning, it's looking prime. Blacks Reef is catching a clean 5ft Southerly swell with a long 13-second period, and we've got a moderate offshore breeze from the Northeast. That's a recipe for some real nice, lined-up waves. The combined energy's sitting at 915 – that's moderate, but feelin' solid. This is a standout session, no doubt. The afternoon holds a similar vibe, dropping to a still-fun 4ft but staying offshore and clean.

Saturday the 29th sees the swell drop to 3ft. It's not as punchy, but the conditions are still clean with a gentle offshore wind. You'll get some fun, cruisy waves in the morning, and it hangs around through the afternoon. Good for a longboard or a fish.

Then we hit a bit of a flat spell. From Sunday the 30th right through Monday the 31st, the quality goes south. The swell is small, and the wind turns cross-onshore, making everything a bit lumpy and messy. By Monday afternoon, a new swell starts showing its face with a 10ft Southerly, but it's still blowing cross-onshore, so it's messy.

Tuesday, September 1st, is a big NO-GO for paddling. We've got a monster 13ft Southerly swell with a massive 6939 combined energy, but it's blowing a 19 mph onshore gale. That's a washing machine. This is strictly for the kite crew, not for us paddle surfers, unless you're a pro charging a war zone.

Now, here's the real standout of the whole outlook: Wednesday, September 2nd. The swell backs down to a still-chunky 8ft from the South, with a groundswell period of 12 seconds. The magic ingredient is the wind – it swings to a light offshore from the Northwest, with the morning being nearly glassy with a slight offshore angle. At 1976 combined energy, this is moderate-to-strong, and it's going to be clean, powerful, and a serious test for experienced surfers only. This is the one to circle on your calendar. The afternoon will be a bit more cross-choppy, but the morning alone makes it worth the wait.

Thursday the 3rd and Friday the 4th offer a nice follow-up. The swell settles to a very surfable 4ft to 5ft, and the wind stays clean and offshore each morning. These are your solid, reliable sessions for a good paddle.

After that, we're looking at a real dry spell. From Saturday the 5th right through to Wednesday the 10th, it's tiny, weak, or blown out. There's a hint of a new SSW swell on the 6th, but it's only 1.0ft. By Thursday the 10th, we get another 8ft SSW spike, but it's accompanied by a 19 mph cross-onshore wind, making it a lumpy mess.

We finally see a glimmer of hope on Friday, September 11th. A 5ft Southerly swell shows up with a clean, light offshore wind in the morning. It's not the monster of the 2nd, but after that long flat stretch, it'll feel like a gift.

Saturday the 12th closes the window with a massive 13ft stormy swell and a gale-force cross-onshore wind. That's full-on, dangerous conditions for any sane surfer.

So to wrap it up: the absolute best sessions are Friday morning, August 28th for a clean, consistent swell, and the top-tier standout is Wednesday morning, September 2nd for the big, clean groundswell action for the experienced crew. Don't sleep on that Wednesday, lads. After that, it's mostly waiting for the next one.

Rusty

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