Cintsa West Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Looks like we’ve got a bit of a slow start, but there’s some potential later on if you’re patient. The main show is Cintsa West, a point break that’s known to be a bit inconsistent, so don’t expect it to be firing every day. It’s an intermediate spot, and it can get crowded sometimes.

The water temperature is sitting around average for the time of year, nothing to write home about.

We kick off on Wednesday, 2nd September, with a 5ft SSW swell rolling in, but it’s coming from the SSE at 10 km/h, so it’s a cross-on breeze. The swell period is 14 seconds, which is a nice long groundswell, but the combined energy is moderate (1026). The conditions are only marginal, so it’s not really worth paddling out for. The afternoon gets worse with a 5ft SSW swell and a stronger 15 km/h onshore wind, making it choppy.

Thursday, 3rd September, is a write-off. The swell drops to 3ft from the S, but the wind is a messy cross-shore at 20 km/h, and the energy is weak (348). It’s poor.

Friday, 4th September, brings a bigger 10ft SSE swell, but that’s too big for beginners and only for experts. The wind is a strong 25 km/h cross-on, so it’s choppy and messy. The combined energy is strong (1960), but the quality is poor. The afternoon improves slightly with an 8ft SSE swell and an onshore wind, but it’s still marginal at best.

Saturday, 5th September, is a toss-up. The morning has a 5ft ESE swell with a short 8-second period and a cross-shore wind, making it lumpy. The energy is moderate (585). The afternoon has a 4ft S swell with a longer 11-second period, but the wind is still cross-shore. Not great.

Sunday, 6th September, has a 6ft E swell in the morning, but the period is a terrible 6 seconds, and the wind is cross-shore. The afternoon sees a 3ft SSW swell with a very long 21-second period, and the combined energy is strong (1505). That long period makes it better for the point break, but the wind is a fresh cross-shore at 30 km/h, creating a lumpy mess.

Monday, 7th September, is a bit of a tease. The morning has a 4ft S swell with a long 15-second period and a cross-shore wind, but it’s lumpy. The energy is strong (1511). The afternoon jumps to 8ft from the E with a short period, and it’s still lumpy.

The best bet in the first week is actually Tuesday, 15th September. The morning sees an 8ft ENE swell with a short 8-second period, but here’s the thing: the wind is light cross-shore at 10 km/h, and the combined energy is strong (1992). The afternoon is even better with the same 8ft ENE swell, light cross-shore breeze, and a slightly lower energy (1781). It’s a solid window of clean, powerful surf, though the short period means it might be a bit walled up for the point. Still, if you’re an intermediate or above, this is the standout.

After that, the second week is pretty quiet. There’s a fun window on Saturday, 12th September, with a 6ft S swell in the morning, a 15-second period, and a moderate cross-shore wind. The energy is high (1907), but it’s not as clean as the 15th. The afternoon has a 7ft S swell with a light cross-on breeze, but it’s a bit onshore.

The last decent day looks like Wednesday, 16th September, with a 5ft E swell in the morning, but it’s a cross-on wind and choppy. Not worth it.

So, overall, the pick is Tuesday, 15th September, at Cintsa West. The swell is solid, the wind is light, and the energy is pumping. It’s a bit short-period, but it’s the best we’ve got. The rest of the window is either too small, too windy, or too messy. If you’re a kite surfer, the bigger days with strong cross-shore winds might be more your thing.

Rusty.

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