Crab Island Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's cooking for Crab Island.

Honestly, mate, this forecast is a bit of a tough one. The first ten days are a real struggle with sloppy, onshore conditions and poor surf quality. There's a massive gap of nothing but junk until we finally get a glimmer of hope near the end of the window. The only real standout is a single window on the very last day of the forecast.

The action, such as it is, starts on Wednesday the 2nd with a weak 3ft swell from the WSW, but the 16 mph South wind is straight onshore and messy. Combined swell energy is a pathetic 80. It's a write-off. The next few days are much of the same – strong winds, cross-onshore chop, and poor conditions. The swell bumps up to 6ft on the 2nd afternoon, but with a fresh 22 mph cross-onshore, it's a bumpy, lumpy mess. The energy hits 306, but it's useless.

We get a bit of a cleaner window on the morning of Friday the 4th. Swell is a solid 6ft from the WSW, and the wind is a cross-offshore breeze. The energy is moderate at 347, and the forecast calls it "clean." It's a *marginal* call, but it's the best we've seen so far. The Saturday morning after that is only 3ft from the W, but with a light 3 mph cross-offshore, it's clean and rideable, though very ordinary. The energy is a weak 104.

Then things go flat. From Sunday the 6th right through to the 16th, it's a long stretch of tiny, weak waves, mostly under 3ft, with a lot of onshore wind. The water temperature is about average for the time of year here.

Now, for the standout. You have to wait until the very end of the period. On Wednesday the 17th of September, the morning looks like a goer. Swell is a clean 4ft from the WSW, with a period of 11 seconds, giving it a bit of groundswell punch. The wind is a glassy 3 mph from the ENE. The combined energy is a solid 353. The forecast says "expect good surf conditions." This is the one to circle. The 4ft swell is perfect for intermediate surfers, and with glassy conditions, it will be clean. Because it's a long period groundswell, the reef bottom at Crab Island will handle it far better than a beach break, giving you proper, well-shaped lines. The crowds are listed as "sometimes", so you might have a few others in the water, but it's worth it.

Any of the other days... just not worth paddling out for. If you're a kite surfer, the days with significant swell and strong onshore wind might be more your bag, but for paddle surfing, it's a waiting game for the 17th.

Rusty.

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