Fernandina Beach Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be real from the start – this is a tough outlook for our stretch of coast. We’re looking at a long, drawn-out period of small, weak surf with onshore winds messing things up most of the time. There’s a big gap of nothing worthwhile until we get into the first week of September.

The water’s running a bit colder than normal for this time of year, sitting at 81°, which is a touch cooler than what we’re used to.

The first sign of any real energy shows up on Wednesday morning, September 2nd, with a pulse of ESE swell pushing 2ft at 11 seconds. The combined energy is still weak at 96, and the wind is onshore, so it’s a write-off. By the afternoon, the energy ticks up to 130 (moderate), but it’s still onshore and choppy. Not worth paddling out for.

We get a bit of a reprieve early on Friday, September 4th, with glassy conditions and a 2ft swell from the ESE. The wind is light, almost calm, but the swell is just too small and weak to do anything fun with. Saturday, September 5th, is also glassy in the morning, but again, it’s tiny.

The best of the whole 16-day window, and I mean the only real standout, is on Sunday morning, September 6th. The swell picks up to 3ft from the ESE with a period of 10 seconds, and the combined energy jumps to 162 (moderate). The wind goes glassy – dead calm, clean as a whistle. At Fernandina Beach Pier, that’s your window. It’s a beach/pier setup, so on a small day like this, the long period will help the waves hold up a bit, but it’ll still be a bit fat. Expect some crowds though, as it’s the only good session in sight. The size is perfect for beginners, no worries there.

After that, Monday morning, September 7th, offers a quick glassy window with 2ft, but the energy drops off fast. Then we’re back into a pattern of onshore breezes and tiny, weak surf through the second week. A few mornings on the 8th, 9th, and 10th show clean offshore or cross-off winds, but the swell is tiny (2ft to 3ft) and the period is short (6 seconds), so the waves will be weak and crumbly. Not worth getting excited about.

Honestly, if you’re in the area, mark your calendar for Sunday, September 6th, early morning. That’s the only time the stars align. Otherwise, the rest of this forecast is a waiting game.

Rusty out.

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