Harlyn Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, let’s have a look at what Harlyn’s got cooking.

To be straight with you, this outlook is a tough one. We’re looking at a 16-day window, and it’s not pretty. For the vast majority of that time, the conditions are just plain ordinary – not the kind of stuff that gets you out of bed. The first real light at the end of the tunnel doesn’t show up until Saturday, September 5th, and even then it’s just a glimmer.

The water temp is sitting at 66°F, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so at least you won’t be freezing while you’re waiting for a wave.

Let’s walk through it. From Friday, August 28th all the way through to Friday, September 4th, it’s a write-off. We’ve got strong winds, messy cross-shore chop, and the odd bit of rain and thunderstorms. The swell is there sometimes – like a 8ft cross-shore mess on Saturday afternoon the 29th – but the wind just ruins it. You’d be fighting a losing battle. The combined swell energy on that afternoon reads a hefty 1039, but with a "Near gale" cross-shore wind, it’s just a washing machine.

There is one period that catches my eye. On Monday, September 7th in the afternoon, we see a 10ft swell out of the southwest. The combined energy is a meaty 1070, and the wind is a moderate cross-shore. The file says “marginal” conditions, but that’s the biggest clean-ish looking pulse in the whole run. It’s not perfect – moderate cross-shore wind does create some chop – but if you’re a confident surfer, that’s your best shot. Anything over 8ft like this is for experts only, so leave the beginners on the sand.

Tuesday, September 8th then throws a massive 15ft swell at us with a 11-second period and combined energy over 4000. That’s a serious amount of water, but the wind is howling from the WNW at 22 mph, making it cross-on and lumpy. That’s not surfable in any pleasant way; that’s a survival session or a day for the kite crew. The setup at Harlyn is sheltered, so that much size might just close out or be too dangerous.

After that, the energy drops right off. We see some clean, offshore winds on September 10th and 11th, but the swell is tiny – 0.3ft to 6ft – and the wind is howling 28-31 mph offshore. That’s so strong it’s hard to even paddle out, let alone catch a wave. The 6ft swell on Friday morning the 11th with fresh offshore wind is about as clean as it gets, but those winds are fierce.

In a nutshell? If you’re desperate, aim for Monday afternoon, September 7th for the biggest, most powerful wave, but expect a wrestling match. For the cleanest but smaller option, Friday morning, September 11th is your best bet, but it’s a battle against the wind. The rest of the window is a gap of mediocrity. It’s grim, but it won’t stay like this forever.

Rusty.

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