FA's Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty comin' at ya with the outlook for FA's.

Gotta be straight with you: the next couple of weeks are looking pretty flat and grim around here. For the first week, from the 23rd of August right through to the 31st, there's just nothing doing. The swell is tiny, mostly in the 0.7ft to 2ft range, and the periods are short or mid-range. Plus, most of the time the wind is cross or onshore, messing up what little bump there is. The water temp is about 84°, which is pretty much spot on for this time of year, so no surprises there, just flat, warm water. It's a long stretch of quiet, and we don't even get a sniff of a decent wave until the calendar flips.

The first real sign of life shows up on the morning of September 1st. It's not much, mind you, with a tiny 1ft swell, but the wind is completely glassy, dead calm. That will make the ocean look like a lake, but the swell period is a very long 16 seconds from the East. The combined energy is moderate (113). A long period like that on a beach and reef break like FA's might mean it's too straight and won't really wrap in properly, but for a quick splash on a tiny clean wave, it's something.

The best chance for a proper surf will be on the mornings of the 3rd, 4th, and 5th of September. On September 3rd, we'll see a 2ft swell from the East at 12 seconds, and the morning has that magic glassy wind. The energy is pushing into moderate (171). The next morning, September 4th, is almost a carbon copy: 3ft East swell at 12 seconds with glassy conditions again, energy at 199. Then on the morning of the 5th, the swell drops back to 2ft from the East at 12 seconds, but the wind goes a little cross-off, which will keep the surface clean. The energy is weaker though, at just 99.

Those three mornings (September 3rd, 4th, and 5th) are your only real window. The swell is still small—under 5ft—so it's fine for all skill levels. But don't get too excited; the quality is still just "surfable but very ordinary." The long-period groundswell might offer a little more shape on the sets, but it's not going to be pumping. After the 6th of September, it looks like we're slipping back into the flat spell. Given how consistent FA's is said to be, this is a long, dry spell that is more about the area than bad luck. If the wind stays strong and the surf is that gutless, honestly, it looks like a better setup for a kite than a paddle.

Stay patient, and keep checking back.

Rusty.

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