Cactus Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's break down what's on the table for Cactus.

The coming days are looking a bit like a mixed bag, but there are definitely some windows to get excited about. The overall pattern starts off with some solid, clean groundswell, then gets a bit messy with onshore winds before cleaning up again for some real standout sessions later on.

Right now, Sunday the 30th of August is on the cards. We've got a long-period 4ft SW groundswell rolling in, with a period of 19 seconds. That's proper energy, with combined swell energy at 1016 (moderate). The wind is a gentle offshore from the east, keeping things glassy. The water temp is sitting at 60°, which is about average for the time of year. This is excellent, clean surf, but it's a reef break, and the 4ft on a long period might be a bit walled at a beachie, but for a reef, it’ll be peeling nicely.

We hit a rough patch from Tuesday the 1st of September through to the middle of the following week. The wind turns onshore and gets strong, and the surf gets lumpy and blown out. Tuesday morning looks clean but the swell drops right off to 4ft with a short period, and then the onshores kill it for the next few days. There's a short gap of a few days with nothing really worth paddling out for.

Thursday the 3rd of September morning is a bit of a tease. The wind goes light offshore from the north, and the swell is a consistent 5ft from the SW, but the period has dropped to 14 seconds. The combined energy is moderate at 975. It’s a clean, surfable wave, but not a standout.

Now, for the real deal. We’ve got a promising stretch starting Sunday the 13th of September. The morning sees a 8ft SW groundswell with a 17-second period, and the wind is a clean cross-offshore from the NNE. The combined energy is very strong at 5785. This is a big, powerful swell for experienced surfers only. The afternoon cleans up even more with a lighter 7ft swell and offshore winds. That Sunday afternoon session is one of the best on offer.

Then Monday the 14th of September morning still has some size, with an 8ft SW swell, but the wind is a fresh cross-offshore, so it’ll be clean but getting a bit on the bigger side. The combined energy is 2458 (strong). By the afternoon, the wind swings onshore and ruins it, so get it early.

The Standout: Without a doubt, Sunday the 13th of September is the session to circle. The combination of a very long-period SW groundswell (7ft - 8ft), combined with light to moderate cross-offshore winds from the NNE, is going to produce some of the best, cleanest waves of the forecast period at Cactus. The reef will handle the long-period energy perfectly, giving you proper, lined-up waves. Get on it.

Cactus is a fairly consistent reef, so it doesn't stay flat for long, and crowds are possible here.

Rusty.

Read more