Chinamans Surf Forecast and Surf Report

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

It’s looking like a bit of a slow start at Chinamans, but the second half of the window is where things get properly interesting. We’ve got a solid run of groundswell from the SW, but the wind is going to be the key factor. The first few days are a write-off, but once that offshore wind kicks in, we’re in business.

The wait is real for the first few days. Saturday the 29th and Sunday the 30th are a total no-go with cross-onshore winds making a mess of things. The wave energy is moderate, with combined energy readings of 823 and 839, but it’s just too choppy to be any fun. You’d be better off staying home.

Now, Monday the 31st of August is where it starts to turn. The morning brings a clean 7ft swell from the SW with a very long period of 19 seconds, and a light cross-offshore breeze from the NE. The combined energy is strong at 3877, and the conditions are described as excellent for experienced surfers. This is a proper groundswell, so at a reef break like Chinamans, it should be holding up nicely. The afternoon holds similar, with a 7ft swell and a light N wind, still clean. This is a standout.

Tuesday the 1st of September sees a shift in the wind. A fresh NNW offshore breeze of 22 mph in the morning cleans up a 5ft, 16-second swell. The combined energy is still strong at 1149. The wind relaxes in the afternoon to a moderate offshore from the NW, with a 4ft swell at 17 seconds. Clean conditions for experienced surfers again.

Wednesday the 2nd and Thursday the 3rd of September offer clean waves as well, but the winds are cross-offshore. The swell holds around 6ft to 8ft, with periods of 14 to 16 seconds, and combined energy in the strong range (1565 to 2110). The quality is marginal, but it’s still clean. Friday the 4th of September looks promising in the afternoon with a moderate offshore NNW wind of 16 mph, cleaning up a 7ft, 15-second SW groundswell. The combined energy is 1647, and it’s described as excellent for experienced surfers.

The weekend of the 5th and 6th of September gets a bit wild. Saturday the 5th is a write-off with strong onshore winds, but Sunday the 6th brings a massive 13ft SW swell. The wind is a strong offshore from the NNW, but it’s a near gale at 31 mph. The combined energy is in the very strong range at 5945. This is for experts only, and even then, paddling in will be a battle. The wave period is 14 seconds, so it’s a groundswell, but the wind is extreme.

The following week, from Monday the 7th of September, stays big and messy with strong winds and poor conditions. The size is there, but the wind is just not cooperating. A real standout appears on Wednesday the 9th of September afternoon. We’ve got an 8ft SW swell with a very long period of 18 seconds, combined energy of 5048, and a light cross-offshore breeze from the W. The data says it’s exceptional for expert surfers. This is the best of the trip.

Thursday the 10th of September morning and afternoon are also very strong, with 12ft and 10ft SW swells, periods of 17 and 16 seconds, and light to moderate cross-offshore winds. The combined energy is very strong, up to 5884. This is a proper swell window. The last few days, from Friday the 11th to Sunday the 13th of September, drop off in size and quality, with the wind turning onshore and ruining the party.

In summary, the standout session is the afternoon of Wednesday the 9th of September, with the morning of Monday the 31st of August being a close second. The whole second week is big, raw, and powerful, but only for the hardcore crew. For the rest of us, the first few days of September are the call.

Rusty.

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