Blacks Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s shaping up for the next couple of weeks.

We’ve got a bit of a slow start, but don’t write it off just yet. The first real opportunity isn’t until Wednesday the 9th, so there’s a couple of days of flat waiting. That first session is a bit of a tease.

Wednesday, September 9th – We’re looking at Blacks Reef for the morning. The swell is coming in at 5 ft from the SE, with a short period of 8 seconds. It’s not a world-beater, but that glassy, near-calm wind (3 mph from the W) is the real story here. It’ll be clean. The water is sitting at 55°F, which is a touch below where we’d normally expect it for this time of year, so you’ll want a good wetsuit. The combined energy is moderate (327), so there’s some push in the water. The afternoon sees the wind swing ENE and pick up, so grab the morning session.

Thursday the 10th is a write-off. The swell drops right off and the wind is all over the place. A day to do maintenance on the boards.

Friday the 11th is a funky one. The morning is a mess with onshore wind and a lumpy 6 ft swell from the south, but the afternoon flips. The wind goes glassy from the N at 3 mph, and while the swell drops to just 2 ft, the period jumps to a very long 18 seconds. That’s a proper groundswell. It’ll be clean, but a long-period swell like that on a reef? It’ll be a bit shifty and might close out if you’re not careful. The energy is still moderate (444). Worth a paddle for the patient surfer.

Saturday the 12th morning is a hard pass – strong onshore wind. The afternoon is better, with a clean 4 ft from the S, but the period is still long at 16 seconds. The energy is moderate (771). It’s a better option than the morning, but that long period on a reef can be a caveat.

Sunday the 13th is a big one. We’re seeing a solid 8 ft swell from the S in the morning, with a period of 14 seconds. The combined energy is strong (2187). But the wind is a light cross-onshore, which will put some texture on the face. This is expert territory – 8 ft is over the 8 ft threshold for being just for experts, so it’s a big, powerful, and potentially unruly day. The afternoon is similar at 7 ft.

Monday the 14th – The morning is still a bit bumpy with a cross-shore wind, but the swell is a solid 6 ft. The afternoon is the real standout. The wind goes cross-offshore from the ENE at 9 mph, and the swell is 6 ft from the S with a 13-second period. The energy is strong (903). This is where it all comes together: clean conditions, a solid swell, and a good direction. This is the best bet for the first week.

Tuesday the 15th – Clean cross-offshore winds and a dropping swell of 4 ft in the morning. A very nice, mellow day.

After that, the second week gets patchy. We see a few days of poor conditions and junk wind, with a few flickers of hope.

Saturday the 19th – Afternoon glass-off with a 3 ft, 17-second period swell. Clean, but small.

Tuesday the 22nd – Morning sees a 5 ft swell from the SSW with a crappy 5-second period, but the wind is offshore from the NE. It’s small, weak, and short-period, but it’s clean.

Wednesday the 23rd – Clean, small, and long-period. A nice morning session for a longboard.

Thursday the 24th – Now this is the long-range promise. The morning is glassy, the swell is 3 ft from the S with a 16-second period, and the afternoon gets even better: offshore wind from the NNE at 9 mph, with a 4 ft, 17-second period swell. The energy is moderate (600-683). This is a promising standalone, but it’s a week and a half away, so keep an eye on it.

Overall, the best window is Monday the 14th through Tuesday the 15th, with the afternoon of the 14th being the peak. The long-range day on the 24th is a solid tip for the patient ones.

Rusty, signing off.

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