Chirere Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's chew the fat on what's happening at Chirere for the next couple of weeks. Gotta be honest, the first week is a tough pill to swallow. We're in for a long, dry spell from now until about the 24th of September with nothing that's really gonna get the blood pumping. The wind is mostly cross or cross-onshore, making the surface lumpy and uninviting. Swell direction is good – out of the ENE to NE – but the period is short, just 6 to 7 seconds, so the waves are weak and lack any real shape. The wave energy is mostly weak to moderate, with values under 200. The surf quality is poor across the board. It's not a total write-off, but you'd be looking hard for a fun wave.

Water temp is a warm 28°, which is about normal for this time of year. Board shorts or a spring suit are all you need.

Now, we get a glimmer of hope heading into the last weekend of the month. The swell pattern starts to change. On Friday, the 25th, a long-period groundswell rolls in, with the period jumping to 13 seconds out of the NNE. The energy picks up, hitting 229 (moderate) in the morning. The wind is still cross or cross-on, and the swell height is only 1.3m, so it's not perfect. This kind of long-period swell will wrap better on Chirere's reef, offering some better-shaped, more powerful waves. But the afternoon session gets chopped up by the onshore wind.

The standout window, and the only one worth marking on the calendar, is the morning of Saturday, the 26th of September. We've still got that 13-second groundswell, but now the energy jumps up to 420 (strong). The swell direction is NNE, which is right in the sweet spot for Chirere. The wave height is a modest 0.8m, but with that much energy behind it, the sets will have some real punch on the reef. The wind is cross-shore from the ENE at 15 km/h, which is manageable. It's not glassy, but it's a whole lot better than anything else on offer. With the strong energy and perfect swell direction, this is the session to chase. Crowds are listed as "sometimes," so you might have the place to yourself.

Remember, this is a call a week and a half out, so it's promising but not set in stone. The rest of that weekend and the following week, the energy stays up, but the wind and shorter period swells return, so that Saturday morning is your best chance.

Bottom line: the first week is a dud. The real opportunity is the morning of Saturday, the 26th of September. That's your shot.

Rusty.

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