Fairhaven Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s break down the next couple of weeks for Fairhaven.

First things first, we’ve got a bit of a wait. The front half of this week is a total loss. The swell is way too big and the wind is a messy cross-onshore. The wave energy is just too much for this break. We’re talking a combined energy of 12,668 on Wednesday morning, dropping but still hefty through Thursday. The water temp is sitting at 57°F, which is about normal for this time of year.

Things start to get interesting on Friday, the 11th. Friday morning, we’ve got a 8ft SW groundswell with a period of 14 seconds, and the wind goes glassy. That’s a clean, powerful wave for experienced surfers only. The combined energy is still 2,985. It’s a classic setup, but Fairhaven is a beach break, so those long-period sets might be a bit straight and fat. Paddling out will be easier between sets, though.

The real standout window opens up on Saturday, the 12th. Saturday morning is cross-offshore with a 10ft SW swell (15s period), and the energy is at 3,377. But the pick of the whole run? Saturday afternoon. Glassy conditions, 8ft SW swell, period of 15 seconds, and a combined energy of 2,709. That’s clean, lined-up, and powerful. It’s a proper session for the experienced crew. Crowds are often at Fairhaven, so expect company.

Sunday, the 13th, holds clean too. Offshore winds in the morning with a 6ft SW swell and 1,573 energy, and the afternoon is a touch smaller at 5ft but with a moderate offshore breeze. Good, not great. The energy drops to 1,043.

Monday the 14th sees a bit of a drop-off. The morning is clean but the swell is down to 6ft, and by the afternoon it’s a poor 3ft with cross-shore chop. A lull.

Then we get a spike again. Tuesday the 15th brings a big 12ft SW swell, but the wind is cross-onshore and choppy. The energy is back up over 4,000, but it’s ugly. Not for paddle surfing.

The next standout that’s worth circling is Wednesday, the 16th of September. Wednesday morning: glassy, 10ft SW swell, 15-second period, and a combined energy of 4,144. That’s a solid one in the data, and it’s clean. Still, that’s big, expert-only territory.

Thursday the 17th and Friday the 18th are consistent and clean. Swell hangs around 7ft to 8ft, SW, with cross-offshore winds and energy in the 1,800 to 2,400 range. Good, clean surfing for experienced surfers, but not the standout of the trip.

Saturday the 19th and Sunday the 20th are both offshore. Saturday morning has a 7ft SW swell with moderate offshore wind, energy at 1,537. Sunday morning kicks up to 8ft but the period drops to 10 seconds, so it’s a bit shorter and less powerful. The afternoon of the 20th is a big 12ft SW swell (14s) with offshore wind, but the energy is 4,616 - that’s a lot of water moving, and it’s likely too big for Fairhaven.

Monday the 21st is a write-off. Cross-onshore, choppy, messy.

The final true highlight comes on Tuesday, the 22nd of September. Tuesday morning: glassy, 10ft SW swell, 16-second period, combined energy of 4,548. That’s a dream setup if you’ve got the skills. The period is very long, so expect clean, powerful lines, but it’ll be breaking fast and straight at the beach. For the experts who know how to pick them off, it’s a beauty.

After that, Wednesday the 23rd and Thursday the 24th are a mix of marginal and poor conditions, with the swell either too big or the wind turning onshore.

Overall, the best of the best is Saturday the 12th afternoon, with that glassy 8ft SW swell. Second pick is Friday the 11th morning for the glassy start, and Tuesday the 22nd morning for the big, clean long-period groundswell. Get out there if you’re good enough.

Rusty.

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