Crystals Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you – this stretch of the forecast for Crystals is a tough one. I’ve had a good look, and honestly, the pickings are slim for a long, long time. We’re looking at a whole lot of nothing for the first 12 days.

For the entire first week, from Tuesday the 8th right through to late September the 19th, the surf is just plain poor. The swell is tiny, barely a ripple, with heights hovering around 0.7 ft to 1 ft. The combined wave energy is weak, with figures consistently under 100. It’s a lot of onshore or cross-shore wind, making for choppy, messy conditions. There’s nothing to get excited about, not a single wave worth paddling for.

Now, through all that grim news, we get a quick flicker of interest. On Wednesday the 16th, the swell bumps up. The morning comes in at 3 ft from the ENE, but with a short, weak period of 5 seconds. The afternoon picks up to 5 ft from the NE with a period of 6 seconds, and the combined energy hits a moderate 133. The wind stays clean and cross-off from the NW, which is good. But hold up – that short period and quick, weak swell will be a bit fat and bumpy at a beach/jetty setup. It’s a slight improvement, but it’s still not great. This is the most significant swell of the window, but it’s a tricky one.

The real standout – and I’m saying this with caution – is the very end of the window. On Sunday the 20th of September, the morning session at Crystals shows some life. We get a 1 ft southeast groundswell, with a very long period of 11 seconds. The wind is light and offshore from the west at 10 km/h, making for clean, glassy conditions. The combined energy is 56. The report even calls it "surfable waves". After two weeks of rubbish, this is the closest thing to a winner we have. But, it’s still a small wave, and that long period at a beach break like Crystals can make it close out or run straight. It’s the best option, but it’s a gamble for something that small.

If you’re an expert looking for a bigger challenge, Wednesday the 16th afternoon offers the *most* swell. That 5 ft from the NE with clean winds is the biggest push we see, but the short period won’t give it any real shape. For most of us, the setup looks more interesting for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer for the whole first two weeks.

So, there you have it. A long dry spell, followed by a small, late-arriving groundswell with promise. Keep your eye on that Sunday the 20th morning.

Rusty.

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