Church Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty, and I’m looking at the next sixteen days for Church. It’s a beach and point setup that really needs a clean SW swell and some offshore wind to fire, but that’s not what we’ve got lined up for a while.

Right off the bat, the water’s sitting at a balmy 73° – that’s 5° warmer than normal for this time of year, so you’re in for a tropical bath if you do get out.

The first week is pretty grim. Starting Monday the 14th through to the end of the following week, the wind is mostly cross-on from the south or west, just ruining any chance of clean waves. The swell is tiny, between 1ft and 3ft, and while the period is super long – up to 18 seconds – that doesn’t help when the wind is on it. The energy is there but weak to moderate (241 to 655). Honestly, for the first few days, the surf is poor. There’s nothing worth paddling out for.

You’ll start to see a few mornings with a slight window around Wednesday the 16th and Thursday the 17th where the wind turns light and onshore, but the waves are still marginal and the tide’s probably not playing ball. It’s just not happening.

The whole first week and into the second week is a write-off. From the 14th right through to the 26th of September, it’s a long stretch of poor to marginal conditions. The wind is relentless, mostly from the west, keeping everything choppy. A few mornings on the 29th of September finally show a light onshore wind and a little 2ft SW swell with a long period of 18 seconds, but it’s still only marginal. The energy is moderate at 425, but you’d be battling the crowds because Church is always packed.

Forget it. The only faint glimmer is the very last day on the 29th, but even then, it’s a gamble. This is one of those periods where the forecast is more promising for kite surfing than paddle surfing, given the onshore wind and small, choppy waves. It’s a blank run, plain and simple.

Stay patient, Rusty.

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