Ditch Plains Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what’s on the table for Ditch Plains over the next couple of weeks.

First up, straight to it: the water temp is running at 70° right now, which is about 1° warmer than normal for this time of year. Nothing too out of the ordinary, just a touch on the mild side for September.

Honestly, it’s a pretty bleak picture for the first week and a half. The combined swell energy is weak (118) on Thursday the 10th with a short-period 4ft SSW swell and a stiff cross-offshore wind. It’s surfable but the quality is poor, so don’t get your hopes up.

Friday the 11th morning sees the swell drop right off to 2ft from the south, period a measly 6 seconds, and combined energy at just 38. The wind is offshore from the NNW, so it's clean, but there's next to no push. This pattern of small, weak swell lingers right through until the 20th.

We get a tiny spike in combined energy on Saturday the 12th with a 1ft SE swell, period 9 seconds, but it's onshore and blown out. Sunday the 13th brings a bit of bump to 3ft SSE swell but with cross-shore winds and a low period of 6 seconds – just a messy, weak combo.

Monday the 14th afternoon shows a moment of hope: glassy conditions with a 2ft SE swell, period 7 seconds, and combined energy at 55. The report calls it "surfable waves but very ordinary conditions", rating it a 1. That’s the best of a bad bunch in this first stretch. It’s the only real mention of anything even close to rideable.

From Tuesday the 15th through to the 20th, it's a dead run. The swell stays tiny – mostly 0.6ft to 1ft – with fresh cross-shore winds and lumpy conditions. On the 19th, we get a clean morning with a 1ft SE groundswell and period of 12 seconds, and offshore NW wind, but there's simply no size to work with. The combined energy is just 31. This is a gap of several days where the only real option is paddling practice.

Things change on the 21st of September. A bigger pulse arrives: Monday morning sees a 5ft ENE swell with a period of 6 seconds, and combined energy jumping to 164. That’s moderate-to-strong energy directed here for the first time in a while. The downside is the wind is a fresh cross-onshore from the east, making it lumpy and choppy. It's a poor surf conditions call again. For experienced surfers who don't mind a battle with the wind, there's juice in the water, but the quality isn’t there. The direction is from the ENE, and Ditch Plains prefers SSE – that’s a mismatch.

By Tuesday the 22nd into the 23rd, the onshore wind builds to a strong breeze and gale force, with rain. The swell stays around 4ft, but it's messy and blown out. The combined energy hits 203 on Tuesday afternoon – solid energy, but the conditions are punishing. This setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than for paddle surfing.

We finally finish the run on Thursday the 24th with a cleaner picture for the morning: a 3ft ESE groundswell, period 10 seconds, and cross-offshore wind from the WSW. Combined energy is a moderate 149. It's clean and rideable, but the swell is still small and the direction is off-optimum. Friday the 25th offers similar small, clean conditions.

The Best on Offer

If you’ve got to pick a moment, the standout is Monday the 14th of September afternoon at Ditch Plains. It’s not big, but glassy conditions with a little bit of swell (2ft SE, period 7 seconds) is your best shot at an enjoyable session in this whole run. The combined energy is only 55, so it’s truly a micro-swell day, but the lack of wind makes it the cleanest option.

The other notable mention is Monday the 21st of September morning if you’re an experienced surfer looking for some power. The 5ft ENE swell brings moderate-to-strong energy (164), but it's going to be choppy and cross-onshore. For the advanced crew who can handle the mess, there’s something to work with, but don't expect Ditch Plains to be its usual clean self.

For the rest of the run, it’s flat or blown out. A long stretch of not much.

Rusty.

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