Ditch Plains Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s suss out what we’ve got coming up for our local stretch.

Look, I’ll level with you. The next 16 days are a real struggle for quality surf around here. We’re looking at a long, drawn-out run of tiny, weak surf that’s mostly blown out by onshore or cross-shore winds. We won’t see anything that gets the heart pumping until the second week, and even then, it’s more about potential than perfection. The best you can hope for most of the time is a grovel on a clean-ish morning.

The water temp is sitting right about average for this time of year, a touch off at 70°F, so nothing wild there.

Let’s break it down day by day.

Ditch Plains is really the only game in town in this data, so we’re stuck with that exposed reef setup. For the first few days, it’s a write-off. Friday the 28th morning kicks off with a tiny 2ft SE swell, energy is barely a whisper at 96, and the 8-second period means it’s weak and gutless. The WSW wind is cross-off, so it’s clean for a paddle, but you’ll be fighting for nothing rides.

The whole first week, from the 28th of August right through to the 4th of September, is mostly poor. Mornings on the 29th and 31st offer a fleeting moment of clean conditions with light offshore winds, but the swell is puny—down to 1ft or 2ft. It’s surfable if you’re desperate for a salt rinse, but that’s about all. The afternoons get chewed up by strong SW or S winds, turning it into a choppy mess.

Saturday the 5th of September finally gives us a little spark. Saturday morning brings a clean 3ft swell from the ENE with a light N wind that’s cross-off. It’s not big, but it’s the first time the conditions truly align for a decent session on the small stuff. The energy is still low at 44, but the clean lines will be there for a log or a fish. That morning is probably your best shout in the whole first half of the forecast.

Things get interesting on the 11th of September, but not in a good way for everyone. Friday morning sees the swell jump to 4ft from the south with a period of 7 seconds, and the combined energy hits a moderate 184. However, the wind is cross-on from the ENE, so it’ll be choppy and a bit of a battle. That afternoon the swell gets a little bigger at 4ft, pushing energy to 231, but the onshore wind ruins the surface. This is the kind of setup that’s more suited to a kite boarder than a surfer; the wave quality is just gone. By the 12th, we get a slightly cleaner 3ft south swell with a cross-shore ENE wind, but the damage is done—it's a lumpy, bumpy affair.

Honestly, if you can wait, Saturday the 5th morning is the standout of the whole period. It’s not a world-beater, but it’s the cleanest, most surfable wave we’re going to get. Everything else is a case of managing expectations and being ready for a scratchy session.

Stay patient, or get the kite gear ready for the middle of the month.

Rusty.

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