Gilligans Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, and I’m looking at the charts for the next couple of weeks. There’s a long stretch ahead, so let’s get into it.

Gilligans (reef) – The only spot on the menu for this whole run. The water temp is sitting right around 85°, which is about normal for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The first real action doesn’t show up until Saturday morning, August 29th. We’ve got a 5 ft SSW swell rolling in with a 14-second period, but the energy is only moderate at 942. The wind is a cross-shore from the SE at 16 mph, which is going to put a bit of a chop on the surface. It’s surfable, but it’s not going to be pretty. The afternoon looks worse as the wind swings more onshore and choppy, so that morning window is your best bet for the weekend.

Sunday, August 30th, offers a bit more juice. The swell height drops to 4 ft, but the period jumps to a very long 20 seconds from the SW, and the combined energy is strong at 1710. The wind is lighter, a gentle cross-shore breeze, so the morning should have some clean lines despite the smaller size. This is a long-period groundswell, meaning it’ll wrap into the reef nicely, but be aware of longer waits between sets.

Moving into Monday, August 31st, the swell builds to 6 ft and then 7 ft by the afternoon, with a solid 18-second period and strong energy reading over 2600. Still, the cross-shore wind keeps it from being glassy. The pulse holds through Tuesday, September 1st, with 8 ft swell and energy up over 3000. That’s expert territory – too big for beginners. The wind is still cross-shore, so expect some chop, but the power is there.

The middle of the week, from Wednesday, September 2nd, through to the following weekend, is a bit of a grind. The swell drops back to 4 ft to 5 ft, periods shorten, and the wind is mostly cross-shore. There’s a lot of “risk tstorm” in the forecast, which adds to the uncertainty. The surf is marginal, and the conditions are not setting up for anything special.

Then we get a glimmer of hope. On Wednesday morning, September 9th, the forecast shows a 5 ft SSW swell with a 17-second period, and the wind turns cross-offshore from the ESE at only 6 mph. That’s clean. The energy is strong at 1655. This is the standout of the whole outlook. The swell direction is SW, which is the optimum for this spot, and the light offshore wind will have the reef lining up nice. It’s still a long-period swell, so it’ll have some power, but it’s not too big for a confident intermediate.

Thursday, September 10th, follows with a similar setup – 5 ft to 6 ft, clean cross-offshore winds in the morning, and strong energy. This two-day window is where you want to be.

The final weekend, from September 11th to 13th, sees the swell spike again, hitting 8 ft on Friday morning with energy over 4800, but the wind is back to cross-shore and messy. By Sunday, the 13th, the wind swings cross-offshore again, but the swell has dropped to 5 ft. It’s a decent end to the run, but the earlier mid-week window is the clear winner.

So, to wrap it up: The first week is a mixed bag with some fun but not great conditions. The real standout is the 9th and 10th of September – clean, solid swell, and the right wind. Mark your calendar for that.

Rusty.

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