Chinamans Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here with a look at the only game in town for the next couple of weeks. We’re dialling in on one spot for a long stretch of south-west groundswell, so let’s get into it.

We’ve got a long run of surf on the cards, but the start is a bit of a fizzer. Monday the 7th is not worth paddling out for—wind is junk and the swell is messy with only a weak energy reading of 597. Don’t even bother.

The first real highlight lands on Tuesday the 8th of September. Tuesday morning is a ripper. Chinamans (South Australia) will be pulling in a solid 7 ft SW groundswell with a long period of 17 seconds and the combined energy is pumping at 2622. The wind is glass, dead calm. That’s the kind of morning where the line-up looks smooth as silk and the swell has proper power. Water temp is about average for this time of year. This is the standout window for experienced surfers—this size is not for beginners.

Tuesday afternoon the wind swings onshore and turns it to slop, so get it done early.

Wednesday the 9th sees the swell jump up to 10 ft to 12 ft from the SW, but a fresh 22 mph onshore wind rips it apart. That’s wild, blown-out surf. Only for the truly committed or the tow-in crew.

Thursday and Friday the 10th and 11th are average. Swell drops to around 6 ft to 8 ft, but the wind is cross-onshore, keeping the surface bumpy. Combined energy is still moderate to strong (3777 down to 1368), but the quality isn’t there for a standout.

The weekend of the 12th and 13th cleans right up. Saturday has light offshore winds out of the NNE, dropping the swell to 5 ft but the wave shape will be clean. Sunday the 13th afternoon gets proper light offshore winds from the north, with a 4 ft, 16-second period SW swell and a combined energy of 643—the comment says “expect very good surf conditions.” That’s a fun, clean session for a longboard or a mid-length.

We hit a nasty patch from Monday the 14th through Tuesday the 15th morning with strong winds and messy cross-chop. Not worth it.

The next real standout shows up on Tuesday the 15th afternoon and Wednesday the 16th morning. Wednesday morning especially: glassy conditions with a 7 ft SW swell, period 14 seconds, combined energy 1550. Excellent conditions for experienced surfers again. That’s a morning to call in sick.

Thursday the 17th has clean offshore winds from the NNW all day, with the afternoon especially looking clean and fun on a 4 ft, 16-second SW groundswell. Good for a mellow session.

The final big hope is on Tuesday the 22nd of September. Tuesday morning is all glass, no wind, with a solid 7 ft SW swell and a long 17-second period. The combined energy is strong at 2726 and it’s flagged as excellent for experienced surfers. That’s a long-range standout—promising but not locked in yet. Keep an eye on it.

Overall, we have some gaps, but the pattern is consistent with pulses of groundswell. Crowds are a possibility at Chinamans as it’s a known spot, especially on those clean mornings. If you can hit Tuesday the 8th morning or Wednesday the 16th morning, that’s where the magic is.

Rusty.

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