Fare Left Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s talk surf. It’s all about Fare Left for this whole stretch, and we’ve got a proper start to it.

Kicking off Tuesday the 15th, we’ve got a solid 6ft of SW swell, with a 16-second period. That’s real groundswell, the kind that has some push behind it. Water temp is 80°, about normal for this time of year. It’s a light cross-off breeze, keeping the surface clean. This is an advanced reef break, and it’s fairly consistent. The combined energy is 1861, which is moderate-strong. You need to know what you’re doing.

The big one is Wednesday the 16th. The swell is building, 7ft in the morning and pushing 8ft by the afternoon, still from the SSW with that long 16-second period. The wind is offshore from the east, and it’s only a gentle breeze – that’s as clean as it gets. The energy jumps to 2450 and then 2887, which is just cranking. This is the day. Big, powerful, and glassy. Not one for the faint-hearted, this is expert territory.

Thursday the 17th keeps the quality. Swell backs off a touch to 7-8ft, period drops to 14 seconds, but it’s still offshore from the ESE. Still a very good day, but it’s missing that extra bit of grunt that Wednesday had.

Now, the weekend and into next week, things get a bit ordinary. Friday the 18th and Saturday the 19th, the swell drops to 6ft, the period is down to 12-13 seconds, and the wind picks up out of the SE. It’s a cross-off, but it’s fresher and it’s messing with the shape. It’s still surfable, but it’s not that groomed stuff we had.

Sunday the 20th, the swell fades to around 4ft, period is down to 11 seconds. There’s still an offshore breeze, but the power is gone. The energy is down to 542, which is weak. You’ll be scratching for anything.

Monday the 21st and Tuesday the 22nd are even smaller – 2-3ft. Still some offshore wind, but it’s gutless. The energy is in the 400-700 range. This is a lull, plain and simple.

Wednesday the 23rd, the wind picks up strong from the ESE, blowing 35 km/h offshore. It’s fresh and clean, but the swell is only 4-5ft. The period is back up to 15-16 seconds, so there’s some push, but the wind is strong and it’s going to be bumpy and blown out. The energy is back up around 1700-1870, but it’s not going to be pretty.

Thursday the 24th and Friday the 25th are more of the same – strong offshore winds, 30-35 km/h, making it messy. Swell is inconsistent, 3-4ft. There’s a small pulse on Friday afternoon with a 3ft SSW swell but a long 18-second period, but the wind is still fresh. It’s a grind.

Then we get a window of cleaner conditions over the weekend of the 26th and 27th. Saturday the 26th has a moderate offshore wind out of the E, with 4ft of SSW swell on a 16-second period. It’s clean but small. Sunday the 27th morning is the best of this stretch – a gentle offshore from the ENE, 4ft of SSW swell, 16 seconds. It’s clean and lined up but not powerful. That’s a good, mellow day for those who know the break.

But hold on, Monday the 28th we’re getting smashed. The wind is up to 45 km/h from the SSE, a strong cross-off. The swell is still 4ft, but it’s junky. The guidance is calling it poor. That’s a beach day, not a surf day. Tuesday the 29th is the same – 40 km/h winds, poor conditions. Don’t bother.

Wednesday the 30th has strong offshore winds again, 30 km/h, and a tiny 3ft SSW swell in the morning. But then in the afternoon, the swell direction shifts and it mixes up with a short, 7-second period SE windswell at 7ft. That’s a messy, confused sea. The energy is only 965, and the score is a 1. It’s not worth the paddle.

So, the long and short of it: that first run from Tuesday the 15th through Thursday the 17th is where it’s at. Wednesday the 16th is the standout – big, clean, powerful. If you can only get out once, make it that day. After that, it’s

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