Depressions Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's shaping up for the Depressions region over the next couple of weeks.

To be honest, it's a grim outlook. We're staring down a long, dry spell with nothing worth paddling out for. The first real chance of any surf doesn't show up until Friday the 4th, and even that is a long shot. Between now and then, it's all small, messy, and blown out with poor surf conditions.

Looking at the data, the water is currently about 71°F which is a whopping 7°F warmer than usual for this time of year – that's very unusual, almost like bathwater. But the warmth doesn't make up for the lack of waves.

Friday the 4th morning is the first time we see a glimmer of life, with a 3ft swell from the SSW at a long 17-second period. The wind is light onshore from the SW, and the combined energy is strong at 518 (moderate wave energy). But the forecast just calls it "marginal surf forecast or questionable tide conditions." It’s a beginner-friendly spot, fairly consistent, but crowds are possible here. For a begginer, that tiny, clean-ish window might be the only chance for a splash. Let’s be straight, though – this is not the day to call in sick.

From there, it's more of the same through the weekend and into the next week. The swell stays small, below 3ft, and the wind is mostly cross-onshore or onshore, chopping everything up. The energy numbers hang around the 300-500 range, so there's some juice, but the conditions are just terrible. The 9th of September afternoon shows a bump to 6ft from the WNW, but with a terrible 6-second period and a 12 mph cross-onshore wind, it’s just a messy, blown-out beach break scene. That’s more of a kite-surfing setup than a paddle-surf one.

The second week, from the 10th onwards, is even more depressing. Swell heights barely push 2ft, with long, groundswell periods that are just too weak and straight to make anything of. The wind is still a problem. We get a 1ft swell on the 17th with a very long 22-second period, but it's from the SW and with light onshore wind – that's just a barely-there whisper.

So, the brutal truth is there’s no standout day, no hidden gem in this 16-day window. The best you can hope for is a marginal session on Friday the 4th morning for the absolute beginners who just want a feel for it. For anyone else, save your energy and wait for the next forecast. This is one of those blank runs that happens here; the consistency is just not there, and it might be a while before it turns around. Forecasts can change, but right now, I’d find something else to do.

Rusty.

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