Conto Springs Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s switch to feet and miles.

We’ve got a solid stretch of swell on the horizon for Conto Springs, but it’s definitely not for the faint-hearted. The first half of the week is really a show for experienced surfers only, with some serious size.

The standout window kicks off on Tuesday the 15th. The morning session is where it’s at; we’ve got a clean 3.0m (10ft) SW groundswell with a nice 14-second period and glassy offshore SE wind at just 3 mph. Energy is pumping at (4024), so there’s plenty of push. The water temp is 64°, which is a touch warmer than average for this time of year. A solid start. Tuesday afternoon stays clean with the same size, but the wind picks up to a moderate 12 mph offshore, still good.

Wednesday the 16th morning gets a bit dicey with a cross-on N wind, but the swell drops to 1.9m (6ft). That afternoon, though, things turn gold – the wind goes glassy out of the East at 3 mph, swell a user-friendly 1.7m (6ft), and a very long 16-second period. This is a gem for the intermediate crowd. Clean, lined-up waves.

We hit a rough patch from Thursday the 17th through Saturday the 19th. The wind goes onshore or cross-on, and the chop builds. Thursday has poor conditions, Friday sees a huge 3.0m (10ft) swell but with a nasty cross-on and rain, and Saturday has 12ft waves but terrible wind. All no-go zones for paddle surfing unless you’re after a beating. The setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing on those days.

Sunday the 20th is a turnaround. After a chop-filled morning, the afternoon delivers a clean 3.0m (10ft) SW swell with a 16-second period and a light cross-off breeze from the SSW. Energy is strong at (3806). This is a standout for confident surfers. Clean, powerful, and long-period.

Monday the 21st and Tuesday the 22nd have solid 8-10ft SW swell, but the wind is cross-on, making things a bit bumpy. Not a complete write-off for the keen, but far from perfect.

Then we’re looking at Thursday the 24th – and this is the big one for the brave. Morning brings a massive 4.0m (13ft) WSW swell with a very long 16-second period and a cross-off SSW wind at 15 mph. Energy is thumping at (9148). In the afternoon, it jumps to a monstrous 6.0m (20ft) SW swell with a 19-second period and an insane energy reading of (26273). That is a huge, powerful groundswell. Only for true experts. Even then, the break might be too big. The trend continues into Friday the 25th with a massive 6.5m (21ft) SW swell and glassy conditions in the morning – energy at (26678) – but it’s simply too big for most. Stick to the reefs and points, not the beach.

Saturday the 26th is the payoff. The swell drops to a still-juicy 3.5m (12ft) from the SW, period at 16 seconds, and we get a glassy NNW wind in the morning. This is your best all-round day for expert surfers: clean, powerful, and organised. Energy is at (5507), moderate to strong. The afternoon stays clean with a 3.0m (10ft) SW swell and a light cross-off.

The 27th and 28th hold size but get messy with onshore and cross-on winds. By the 30th of September, it fades out to small, clean, 1.0m to 1.1m (3 to 4ft) SW swell with offshore SE winds, but energy is weak (643-802). A nice little clean-up for the longboards or beginners.

So my pick? Tuesday the 15th morning for the clean start, and Saturday the 26th morning for the best combination of size, power, and glass. The week from the 24th to the 26th is the real deal for the crew who can handle it.

Rusty.

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