Blacks Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty. Let's get into it.

Alright, we’ve got Blacks Reef on the radar, and it’s a bit of a mixed bag here over the next couple of weeks. We’re looking at a solid run of surf, but we have to work around some feisty winds.

The water is sitting at 54°, which is a bit colder than you’d expect for this time of year. You’ll want a decent wetsuit, no doubt about that.

The first decent window kicks off on Friday, August 28th. Friday morning is looking sweet. We’ve got a 5ft south swell rolling in with a 13-second period. That’s proper groundswell energy, coming in at 915 (moderate wave energy), and we’ve got a clean, offshore breeze from the NE. This is the kind of morning where you want to be early. The afternoon stays clean too, with a 4ft south swell and a gentle offshore wind. That’s a solid start.

Saturday, August 29th, the swell drops a bit to around 3ft from the south, but it’s still clean with offshore and cross-offshore winds, so you’ll get some fun, smaller waves. Good for a longboard or a fish.

Sunday the 30th, the party winds down. We’re looking at really small 2ft to 2ft swell and the winds switch around, making it messy. That’s a good day to clean the wax off your boards.

Monday, August 31st, the swell cranks up again, but the wind turns nasty. You’re looking at an 8ft to 10ft south swell, but with a strong cross-onshore wind, it’s going to be a choppy, lumpy mess. The combined energy jumps to 3297 on the afternoon, which is strong, but the quality is just not there for a good paddle. This looks more like a day for the kite surfers to have a go.

Tuesday, September 1st, is a write-off. The wind is howling and onshore, with the swell sitting around 8ft. Don’t even bother.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. Wednesday, September 2nd, is your standout. Honestly, this looks like the best day of the entire outlook. The swell is still a very solid 7ft from the south (1284 combined energy, strong), but the wind goes glassy. We’re talking a slight air, cross-offshore from the NNW. That’s going to clean up the reef beautifully. This is excellent surf for experienced surfers. The reef will be handling the size, and with that period of 12 seconds, the waves will have plenty of punch. The afternoon stays clean at 6ft. If you have some time off, this is the morning to be out there.

After that, the trend is a slow fade. We get another fun, clean day on Thursday, September 3rd, with 3ft to 4ft south swell and light offshore winds. Good for a cruise.

Friday, September 4th through to Tuesday, September 8th, the swell drops way off. We’re talking tiny, knee-to-waist high waves. A few days of clean bump, but not much to get excited about.

Then, look out for Thursday, September 10th. The models are hinting at a big pulse. The morning shows 10ft south swell at 13 seconds (2730 combined energy), and the wind is cross-offshore. That’s excellent surf for experienced surfers only. The afternoon gets even bigger, an 12ft south swell with a 16-second period, and the combined energy is a massive 5823. But the model also says it might be too big for Black’s Reef at that point. If it comes in, it’ll be a sight to see, but only for the absolute top-tier crew. The wind turns bad on Friday the 11th, washing it out.

The last few days of the outlook, from September 10th onward, are promising for another big swell, but keep an eye on the wind. It’s a long-range call, so don’t book the time off just yet.

So, to wrap it up: Wednesday, September 2nd is your golden ticket. Clean, solid south swell with near-perfect winds. Thursday, September 10th is the other big one for the brave, but keep the wind check handy.

- Rusty

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