Fairhaven Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, let's have a look at what's coming our way for Fairhaven over the next couple of weeks. It's a bit of a mixed bag, but there's definitely some serious grunt in the water if you know where to look and when to paddle out.

The pattern starts off with a bang. This Saturday morning, the 12th of September, we've got a solid 8.2ft SW groundswell hitting, with a very long 15-second period. The wave energy is pumping hard at 3366, and with a light N offshore breeze, the conditions are clean. This is proper, powerful stuff – experienced surfers only, as it's pushing that 8.2ft mark and the sets will have some serious weight. The water temp is sitting at 56.5°, which is about average for this time of year, so you won't need a steamer but a decent 3/2 will be your friend. Fairhaven is fairly exposed to this SW direction, so it’ll be handling it well, but that period is so long it might be a bit straight for the beach break; it'll be better if you can find a bank that lines up.

Sunday the 13th sees the swell ease a touch to 5.9ft in the morning, still from the SW and with that lovely 15-second period. The offshore wind holds from the N, so the morning session will be clean and fun, with moderate wave energy (1308). It's still got plenty of push for a Sunday funday. The afternoon wind picks up a bit, but stays offshore, so it remains a good option.

Now, we hit a bit of a flat spell through Monday and into Tuesday morning. Monday the 14th offers some small 3.9ft swell, but it's messy with cross-off then cross-shore winds, so not one to get excited about. Then Tuesday the 15th is a write-off – the swell jumps to 11.5ft, but it's blown out by strong cross-onshore winds. It's big, but it's ugly. That setup with strong cross-onshore winds and big swell on a beach break looks more interesting for the kite surfers than us paddlers. That kind of wind-ruffled, lumpy mess continues through Wednesday the 16th, with onshore winds and 11.5ft swell.

Thursday the 17th is still onshore and big, but the wind drops, so while it’s not clean, it’s less of a washing machine. Friday the 18th offers a little relief as the wind swings NW for a cross-off breeze, cleaning up a dropping 5.9ft SW swell. It's a bit of a transitional day, but a solid dawny could be on the cards.

The real standout for the first week, however, looks to be Saturday the 19th of September. The morning brings a clean 6.6ft SW swell with a moderate NNW offshore breeze. Wave energy is still high at 1476, and the conditions will be clean and lined up. This is the pick of the first week – a proper, punchy offshore day for the experienced crew.

After that, the surf dips again into Sunday the 20th with poor cross-onshore winds and dropping swell. But don't put the board away, because Monday the 21st of September is a fascinating one. The morning delivers a solid 9.8ft WSW swell, and the wind is forecast to be glassy – dead calm. That’s a rare combination for Fairhaven. The wave energy is massive at 3600, and while the swell direction is slightly west of the optimum SW, it's still going to pour in. This is for experts only, and you need to get out early before that afternoon seabreeze ruins the party.

Looking further ahead into the second week, it gets interesting but less certain. Tuesday the 22nd is a write-off with big 11.5ft swell and strong cross-onshore winds. Then Wednesday the 23rd of September looks promising, with a clean 9.8ft SW swell and a light N offshore. That’s a solid day, but it's a long way out. Thursday the 24th looks incredible for the experienced surfer, with glassy conditions and a solid 8.2ft SW swell. The wave energy is through the roof, and the wind is forecast to be zero. If this holds, it's a proper session.

But the big dog on the horizon is Friday the 25th of September. The morning forecast is for a massive 11.5ft SW swell with a ridiculously long 19-second period, and the wave energy is a staggering 7828. The wind is cross-off, so it will be clean, but the file itself notes it might be too big for this break. The afternoon looks better for actually surfing it, with the swell dropping to 9.8ft and a clean NNW offshore. This is a very long-range call, so treat it as promising but not guaranteed. A swell of that size and period will be world-class at the right reef or point, but at a beach break it might just be a close-out. Keep an eye on it.

The final weekend sees a massive 19.7ft swell on Sunday the 27th, but again the notes say it's too big. The week after that looks to be full of big, powerful swells, but the windows of clean wind are small. If you're an experienced surfer, the standouts are Saturday the 19th, that glassy Monday the 21st, and potentially Friday the 25th. Beginners should

Read more