Fairhaven Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. You know, sometimes a spot just puts on a show, and sometimes it’s a case of wait and see. For Fairhaven, the next two weeks are a real mixed bag with some absolute gems tucked in there, but you’ve gotta be patient. The water’s sitting at a mild 57.2°F, which is about 1.8°F warmer than average for this time of year, so not too chilly.

First up, we’re looking at a massive pulse of energy hitting from Thursday 3rd September through Friday 4th. The combined swell energy is massive, reading 12320, and the swell’s coming in at 14.8ft to 18.0ft from the SW with a period around 14 seconds. This is serious, world-class power, but it’s way too big for nearly everyone – definitely expert-only territory. The wind is a bit messy, cross-shore at 15.5 mph, so it’s not the cleanest picture. There’s a couple of early windows on Thursday and Friday with a NW breeze creating cross-off and clean conditions, but those massive swells are still over 8.2ft – keep your wits about you.

Saturday 5th is still chunky with 8.2ft to 11.5ft SW swell and a period of 15 seconds, but a WNW breeze at 18.6-21.7 mph is going to hold it together. It’s still a lot of water moving, and the combined energy is still high (3194 to 5120). The wind and tide are favorable, but at this size it’s still a handful for anyone but the experienced.

Sunday 6th and Monday 7th the swell starts to drop back – 7.5ft to 8.2ft – but the period drops off too, especially Monday morning with only an 8-second period. That means it’s going to be fat and weak. The wind is also not ideal; cross-shore on Sunday and then a nasty cross-onshore on Monday afternoon at 15.5 mph, making it choppy. The energy is dropping to the 772 to 1815 range, so it’s a bit of a lull.

Then, from Tuesday 8th September the real focus starts. We have a building glassy morning on Tuesday 8th with a 4.9ft SW swell and an incredible 18-second period. The combined energy is moderate (2468), and with the wind going glassy, this is a very nice window. The swell is only 4.9ft, so it’s accessible, but that long period is going to make it wall up. Keep an eye on the tides, as the report notes “marginal surf forecast or questionable tide conditions” with a score of 3, but that glassy surface is a big draw.

The absolute standout, and I mean the one to circle on the calendar, is Thursday 10th September. The swell is a solid 13.1ft from the SW with a period of 17 seconds, and the combined energy is a thumping 8528. The wind is glassy – a full-on glass-off from the SSE at 0 mph. That is about as perfect as it gets. Wind and tide are favorable, but as the report says, this is too big for this break. This is a big-league day for the experts only. If you have the skills, you will get the session of your life.

After that, Friday 11th and Saturday 12th settle into a gorgeous rhythm. We’re looking at 6.9ft to 7.5ft SW swells with a 15-16 second period. The combined energy is in the 1920 to 2269 range, still solid. And the wind? Offshore on Saturday from the NNW at 9.3 mph, and cross-off on Friday from the NE at 6.2 mph. For me, Saturday 12th September is the best all-round day. The swell is a manageable 6.6ft to 6.9ft, the period is long, the wind is clean offshore – that’s going to be peaky, rippable, and uncrowded.

Sunday 13th sees the swell drop to 3.9ft to 4.6ft, still with a long period and offshore wind from the NNW at 12.4 mph. It’s small but clean – a funboard or longboard day.

From Monday 14th through Wednesday 16th, we get a bit of a messy patch, with a fresh swell pulse (9.8ft on Monday) but cross-shore winds and messy conditions. Not the best.

But look at Tuesday 15th September morning – another glassy moment with a 8.2ft, 18-second period SW swell and a combined energy of 4479. Glassy conditions again, and this time the size is right on the edge for more experienced surfers. This is another expert window.

Wednesday 16th morning has a clean cross-off with 7.2ft swell – that’s a sneaky good session.

Then Thursday 17th and Friday 18th the whole thing blows out with a big, windy, onshore mess. Swell up to 16.4ft and onshore winds over 24.9 mph. That’s keep-your-board-in-the-car weather.

So, my call: the true standout is Saturday 12th September –

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