Fairhaven Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then, let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for Fairhaven.

First off, the water temp is sitting at 57°F, which is about 2°F warmer than normal for this time of year – not a massive shift, but enough to feel a touch balmy compared to what you'd expect.

Now, this spot is a bit of a quirky one. It’s a beginner-friendly wave, but it *rarely breaks*, so when it does, you’ve got to be on it. Straight out of the gate, we’ve got some serious swell kicking in, but the problem is the size. From Wednesday afternoon, we see an 8ft SW groundswell (15-second period) with a moderate cross-off breeze, but the energy is already churning at 3199 – that’s a solid, moderate push. It’s not looking amazing for a paddle.

The real story here is Thursday. We’ve got a big SW swell building to 13ft – 18ft, with a 14-second period. The wind is cross, and the combined energy is absolutely thumping between 11665 and 17594. That’s very strong energy. The thing is, for Fairhaven, that is just too big. It’s a beginner wave, and anything over 5ft starts getting hairy; over 8ft, it’s expert only. This is going to be a washout for the average punter. Friday cleans up a touch with a 15-16 second groundswell at 12ft - 13ft and a nice cross-off breeze, but it’s still well over the limit.

Saturday the 5th is a write-off. Strong breeze at 25 mph from the WNW and a 10ft swell make for a messy, blown-out scene. The energy is still up (3926), but the quality is shot. It stays poor right through Sunday and Monday with onshore winds and lumpy conditions.

Here’s the standout. Tuesday morning, the 8th of September. We get a moment of magic. The swell drops to a manageable 5ft from the SW, but the period stretches out to a very long 18 seconds. The wind goes glassy – dead calm – with a slight air. The combined energy is a moderate 2366, so it’s got some grunt, but it’s clean. That long period will make it a proper groundswell. For a beach break like this, an 18-second period can make waves break a bit too straight, but if the bank is right, it’ll be a thing of beauty. This is the pick of the bunch for the whole outlook: clean, glassy, and with enough push to get the blood pumping. It’s for experienced surfers, so know your limits.

After that, we get a few more days of manageable, clean conditions. The 11th and 12th of September are worth a look with offshore winds (NNW) and 6ft – 7ft SW swells. The energy is moderate (1398-1958), and conditions are glassy to clean. These are great for the more competent beginners.

We then hit a patch of confused seas again towards the middle of September, with more strong swells and onshore winds blowing things out. The 14th sees another 13ft swell, way too big. The 15th of September Tuesday morning offers a brief window with an 8ft groundswell and glassy conditions (2852 energy), which is a solid option for experts but again on the big side for the less experienced.

So, for the full 16 days, don't expect consistent, easy waves. The absolute best is Tuesday morning, the 8th of September, for that glassy, long-period groundswell. The 11th, 12th, and 13th of September also offer decent, cleaner waves for experienced surfers. Most of the rest of the time, the swell is either too big or the wind is too strong for Fairhaven’s beginner-friendly nature.

Rusty.

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