8th Street Jetty Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, Rusty here. Let's get into what's on the table for your local stretch of sand and jetty.

Alright mate, I’ll be straight with you – the next couple of weeks are a bit of a mixed bag. We’ve got a long dry spell to start, with only a couple of flickers of life way down the line. The first half of the outlook is basically a write-off for a decent paddle, so if you’re jonesing for a wave, you’ll need some patience. Things get interesting right at the end, but there are caveats.

The water temp is sitting at 77°, which is a massive 6° warmer than usual for this time of year – that’s very unusual, so you can ditch the thick wettie for a spring suit if you’ve got one.

Right now through to Sunday the 22nd of September, it’s a desert. We’re looking at tiny, weak dribble with combined swell energies barely cracking 40-60 (which is weak). The winds are all over the place – cross-onshore, onshore, and choppy – so 8th Street Jetty is just flat and messy. There’s nothing to get excited about.

Monday the 21st sees a pulse of energy arrive, with combined swell energy hitting 232, but the swell is short-period at 7 seconds and only 2 ft from the ENE. The morning has clean conditions with NNW cross-off winds at 16 mph, but it’s still scrappy. Not a standout, just a slight bump in the flatness.

The real standout looks to be the last few days of the outlook, starting Thursday the 24th of September. That morning, we get a clean 4 ft swell from the east, with a 9-second period and cross-off winds from the NNE at 12 mph. The combined energy is a solid 383 – moderate but building. It’s the first truly clean session in ages.

But the big event is Sunday the 27th of September. The swell builds to 8 ft from the east, with a 10-second period, but the combined energy is a whopping 1770 – that’s very strong. Winds are cross-shore from the NE at 22 mph though, which means plenty of lumpy chop. This is expert territory only – 8 ft is too big for beginners, and the bumpy conditions will make it a battle. The water is clean but messy. It’s a session for the experienced crew only, and honestly, the cross-shore wind makes it a tough call. For those looking for cleaner conditions, the morning of Sunday the 28th sees the swell drop to 4 ft, with light cross-off winds from the north at 9 mph and clean conditions – that’s a much better bet for a longer, cleaner ride.

So, if I’m picking the one true standout, it’s the morning of Saturday the 28th: 4 ft east swell, clean, low wind, and a gentle breeze. That’s your window for a decent, manageable session. The 27th is there for the experts but it’s a grind.

There’s a big gap from now until the 24th with really nothing worth paddling for. Forecasts can always change though, and this stretch can fire up quicker than you think.

Catch you in the lineup.
Rusty

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