Fishermans (Rhiw) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, let me have a look at what’s cookin’ for Fishermans at Rhiw. First thing you need to know – don’t get your hopes up, because the next 16 days are lookin’ pretty grim. There’s a big ol’ gap of nothing to get excited about right from the start.

The first real chance of anything remotely rideable won’t show up until the morning of Sunday, the 13th of September. And even then, it’s barely a whisper. We’ve got a weak 4 ft swell from the SW, but it’s coming in at a short period of just 5 seconds, so it’ll be gutless and bumpy with an onshore wind. The energy is a pathetic 84 (moderate wave energy), and the report calls it “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions”. That’s a polite way of sayin’ it’s not worth paddlin’ out for unless you’re desperate. That afternoon, the wind swings light cross-off, the swell drops to 3 ft, and it gets clean, but the energy is only 44. It’s small, clean, and flat-looking—maybe a longboard, but you’ll be waitin’ for scraps.

Before that, every single day is a write-off. Friday the 4th through to Saturday the 12th are all plagued by strong cross-onshore winds from the W and SW, with lumpy, messy conditions. The swell is all short-period, wind-driven junk, ranging from 1 ft to 7 ft, but none of it is clean. The 7 ft on Tuesday the 8th might sound big, but with strong cross-onshore winds and a weak 6-second period, it’ll be a washing machine. That’s more of a kite-surfing day than a paddle-surfing one.

Now, the 14th of September – Monday – has a spike: 8 ft from the WSW with a 7-8 second period and combined energy of 611 (strong wave energy). But the wind is onshore, so it’s gonna be blown-out and messy. That’s expert-level size, but with onshore winds, it’s just a big, sloppy closeout. Not recommended.

After that, the second week is a total dud. From the 15th to the 19th, we’re lookin’ at tiny 0.7 ft to 2 ft swells with low energy and mostly onshore or cross-shore winds. A few mornings are clean (the 15th and 17th), but there’s no swell to ride.

So, the one true standout – if you can call it that – is Sunday afternoon, 13th of September. It’s clean, the wind is light and cross-off from the NNW, and the swell is a tiny 3 ft from the SW. It’s the only window where the conditions line up for a half-decent session on a log or a foamie. The water temperature is about average for the time of year, so no surprises there. Crowds? At Fishermans (Rhiw), they're possible, but with waves this small, the lineup won’t be busy.

In short, it’s a long, flat, and windy fortnight. The 13th is your slim chance. Otherwise, keep the board in the car.

Rusty.

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