Chinamans Surf Forecast and Surf Report

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

Right off the bat, we’ve got a heap of swell energy on the way, but it’s gonna take a few days before the wind plays nice. For the first few days, from Wednesday the 9th through to the start of the weekend, the ocean’s gonna be working – solid 8ft to 10ft SW groundswell with a very long period around 16 to 19 seconds, so there’s plenty of power in the water (combined energy readings in the 6000 to 2000 range). The problem is the wind. It’s blowing hard from the SE and ESE, smashing that swell into a choppy, cross-onshore mess. The water temp is sitting at 60°F, which is about average for this time of year. For a spot as exposed as Chinamans, this setup is pretty much a write-off for a paddle board. If you’re into kites, though, it’d be a different story.

The first real glimmer of hope comes early Saturday morning the 12th. The swell drops a little to 6ft from the SW, but the wind swings around to a light NNE breeze, turning cross-offshore. That’s a clean, glassy look for the morning, and the combined energy is still a respectable 1437. It’s not huge, but it’ll be the best wave of the first few days. Still, it’s only a marginal call, not a standout.

Now, if you can hold out, the real good stuff kicks in the following week. Wednesday the 16th is where it’s at. The morning sees a solid 8ft SW swell with a 16-second period, and the wind is a light NNE cross-off. That’s clean, powerful, and the combined energy is a strong 3221. This is excellent surf for experienced surfers. The afternoon is just as good with 8ft and a light WNW breeze. This is the standout window of the whole outlook.

The good conditions carry through Thursday the 17th and Friday the 18th, with clean 5ft to 6ft SW groundswell and light offshore or cross-off winds. Gentle, clean, and fun. Not the big stuff, but perfect for a long session.

Stay away from Saturday the 19th – the wind is gonna howl from the north at 25 mph, making it hard to even paddle out, even though it’s offshore.

The real wildcard is the very end of the outlook. Monday the 21st and Thursday the 24th of September are showing a huge pulse of SW swell – 10ft to 12ft with a very long 17 to 18-second period. The combined energy is massive (over 5000 and up to 13000). The wind looks light and variable, so it’ll be a true groundswell. This is only for the experts, and with that long period, it’s gonna be a freight train. It’s a long way out, so keep an eye on it, but it’s got the potential to be the best of the whole run.

Right, that’s the gist of it. Chinamans is a fickle beast, but there’s a couple of windows there that’ll make it all worth it.

Rusty.

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