Blacks Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty here, and I’m looking at what’s on the table for Blacks Reef. It’s a familiar spot, a reef break that's exposed to the south, and right off the bat, the water temp here is running about average for the time of year, so nothing weird to report there.

The pattern starts off a bit funky. Sunday (Sept 13) is a write-off — we’ve got a solid 8ft to 8ft S/SSW swell pushing through but it’s coming with a cross-onshore wind that’s got the surface chopped right up. The combined energy is strong (2289 to 3756), but with that wind and a high tide issue, it’s not one for the paddle. Honestly, with that setup, a kiter might be having more fun.

Monday (Sept 14) is where it starts to get interesting. Morning comes in with glassy conditions and a 7ft south swell at 12 seconds. That’s a proper groundswell, moderate energy (1315 combined), and with an offshore breeze from the ENE, the faces are going to be clean. This one’s for experienced surfers, as the size is pushing the edge for beginners, but the quality is there. The afternoon holds up clean with a 6ft south swell and a light cross-off breeze.

Tuesday (Sept 15) sees the swell dropping off to 4ft. It’s still clean with a light offshore, but the energy is stepping down (447 combined). It’s surfable, just not the standout.

We get a lull through Wednesday and Thursday (Sept 16-17) where the waves shrink to under 3ft. The energy is low (under 130 combined), and the surf is very ordinary. There is a couple of glassy windows on the Thursday afternoon and Friday morning, but the swell is just too small to get excited about.

The best on offer looks like Friday morning (Sept 18). The swell bumps back up to 4ft from the SE, period at 13 seconds, and the combined energy is solid at 520. It’s glassy, clean, and the wind is from the NNE at just 3 mph. That’s a proper window for Blacks Reef. The crowd potential is there — this spot can get busy — so get in early.

Saturday (Sept 19) turns ugly. Strong cross-onshore and onshore winds with a short-period 7ft S swell that’s just messy. Not one to bother with.

Sunday (Sept 20) morning has a small clean window with a 3ft SSW groundswell (14sec period), worth a look if you’re keen to get wet, but it’s marginal.

Then we hit a bit of a gap. Monday through to Thursday (Sept 21-24) is a mix of poor surf and strong winds, with one standout exception: Thursday morning (Sept 24) has a 10ft S swell but with fresh cross-onshore winds making it lumpy and dangerous — experts only, and even then it’s not pretty.

The second standout is Friday morning (Sept 25). We get a glassy, dead-calm start with a 8ft S swell (8-second period). The combined energy is 932, and the wind is zero — dead glass. It’s a short-period swell, so expect it to be a bit crumbly at a reef, but with those conditions, the waves will be breaking clean. Bigger side, so not for the faint of heart.

The last few days (Sept 26-28) see the swell dropping back with a mix of long-period energy (16-21 seconds) but with cross-shore winds and moderate combined energy. It’s marginal but surfable if you pick your window.

Overall, Monday (Sept 14) morning and Friday (Sept 25) morning are the true standouts. Clean, solid size, and the right wind. Get on it.

- Rusty

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