Forster Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here, and straight up—if you’re hanging out for a surf at Forster Beach (Forster-Beach), this 16-day stretch is gonna test your patience. We’ve got a heap of days with junk wind and sloppy conditions before a couple of serious big-wave windows show up, but those are only for the brave (or the crazy).

Right now, the water’s sitting at a pretty standard 68°, nothing weird for this time of year.

The first real action doesn’t kick in ’til Wednesday September 16, but when it does, it’s a beast. We’re talking a strong swell from the south, around 12 ft, with a 10-second period. The combined wave energy is pumping hard at 2257 — that’s serious power. The wind is cross-off and clean, so the lines will look good, but this is no beginner’s wave. At over 8 ft, this is strictly for experts. That same energy rolls into the afternoon with 13 ft swell and even more juice (2913). Thursday the 17th keeps the size up around 10 ft with clean cross-off winds, but the forecast flags some tide and quality issues—still, if you’ve got the experience and a thick wetsuit, it’s worth a look.

After that big pulse, the surf drops away. Friday the 18th starts glassy with a 6 ft south swell and clean conditions—the wave energy sits at 584, so moderate. It’s surfable, but not a standout. Saturday the 19th morning goes glassy again with a 4 ft south swell (455 energy), but the afternoon turns onshore and the period jumps to 15 seconds—that’s very long-period groundswell, which at a beach break like Forster can make things close out and get straight. Not ideal.

From Sunday the 20th through to the end of the month, it’s mostly poor: cross-on winds, short-period slop, and small surf. There’s a short window on Wednesday the 23rd morning with a small clean 3 ft south swell, but it’s ordinary. The biggest standout in the second week is Monday September 28 morning, with a 6 ft NE swell and light cross-on wind—but the wind direction and choppy surface take the shine off.

Honestly, though, the real highlight is that Wednesday/Thursday big south swell on the 16th and 17th. If you’re an experienced surfer and don’t mind the size, that’s the best on offer. Just be aware that the south swell direction is a bit off the optimum for Forster Beach (which prefers SE), and those big waves might be better suited to a point break or reef, not a beach setup. Crowds are likely here, so you won’t be alone.

For the rest of us? Keep an eye on the glassy mornings on the 18th and 19th for a chance at something clean, even if it’s small. There are long gaps of several days with nothing worth paddling out for, but that’s the way it goes sometimes. Forecasts can change.

Rusty.

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