Freshwater West Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at the next couple of weeks for Freshwater West.

It’s a pretty quiet start, to be honest. The first few days are a write-off. We’ve got a mix of onshore winds and messy, weak swell. Not much to get excited about until we hit the second week. The water is sitting at 64°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so that’s a small mercy.

Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th are a no-go. The swell is tiny at 3 ft, and it’s coming from the WSW, but the wind is all wrong – cross or cross-onshore, with a solid 19 mph breeze on Sunday. That’s bumpy, choppy, and just not worth paddling out for.

Monday 7th sees a proper spike in size. The swell jumps to 7 ft out of the WSW, and the energy is massive (1452). That’s a lot of power, but the wind is onshore and strong. It’s a messy, lumpy beast. That’s big enough for experts only, but the wind is going to ruin it. Not your day.

Tuesday 8th through to Friday 11th? It’s rinse and repeat. Swell hanging around 5 ft to 6 ft, but the wind is constantly cross-onshore or onshore, and the period is short. It’s choppy, racy, and ugly. The break is going to be a bit of a washing machine. Honestly, this setup looks more interesting for the kite crew than the paddle crew.

Saturday 12th is the first faint glimmer. The swell drops to 3 ft from the WSW, but the wind swings north and goes cross-offshore. The water goes clean. It’s not big, but it’s surfable if you’re desperate. The energy is low (113), so don’t expect much push.

Sunday 13th and Monday 14th are tiny. We’re talking 2 ft or less. The wind is offshore or glassy on Monday morning, which is beautiful, but the swell is just too small. You’ll be sitting on a flat ocean. The combined energy (55) is weak.

The real standout is Thursday 17th. That’s your best bet. By the morning, we’ve got a 5 ft swell from the west with a clean 7-second period, and the wind is offshore from the east at 6 mph. The energy is moderate (234), but the conditions are clean. The break is exposed to the west, so this swell direction is right on the money. It’s a fine, clean wave. The crowd factor is "sometimes" here, so you might have a few mates out, but it’s not a circus. The swell is over 5 ft, so it’s pushing into intermediate territory, but not too big for a confident surfer. The offshore wind is a major positive.

Friday 18th and Saturday 19th see the swell drop back to 3 ft to 4 ft, and it’s still clean in the mornings, but the energy is low. It’s surfable, but nothing to write home about.

Sunday 20th is a fade-out. Swell down to 2 ft, period stretches to 9 seconds, but the wind is cross-offshore. It’s clean but small. The energy is weak (91). A gentle end to the window.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a washout. The only true standout is Thursday 17th September – that morning session with the offshore wind and a decent sized west swell is your moment. Everything else is either too small, too windy, or too messy. Don’t hold your breath for the first week.

Rusty.

Read more