Harlyn Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the menu for Harlyn over the next couple of weeks. I’ll be straight with you – it’s a bit of a slow burner, and we’ve got a few days of just waiting it out before anything really worth paddling out for shows up.

For the first few days, from Monday the 31st of August right through the first week of September, it’s mostly a write-off. The swell is there, but it’s messy. We’ve got some solid 8ft to 7ft lines rolling in from the West on Monday, but the wind is a fresh cross-onshore, and the water’s all lumpy and cross-chop. The combined energy is high (1352), but it’s just not a pretty picture. The water temperature is sitting at 65°, which feels a touch warmer than normal for the time of year. Tuesday the 1st sees the swell drop right off to around 4ft, and while the wind goes light and clean off the land, the energy is weak (196). It’s surfable, but it’s very ordinary. You’d be scratching for a half-decent wave.

The rest of that week into the weekend? Same story. The swell picks up again on Friday the 4th with 7ft from the West (682 energy), but it’s cross-shore and lumpy. Not your friend. Saturday the 5th has a bit of long-period groundswell from the WNW at 6ft (894 energy) with a 12-second period, but it’s a cross-onshore breeze. It’s not going to be clean. The whole week is a frustrating mix of size and crap wind.

We finally get a chance on Sunday the 6th of September. The swell is small, only 3ft from the West, but the wind goes light and *offshore* from the south. That’s your cleanest window of the first week. The energy is low (119), but it’s a glassy morning. It’s not a standout, just a small window of hope.

Then we hit a real gap. From Monday the 7th through to Saturday the 12th, the swell is tiny to non-existent, with energy readings dropping to as low as 52. The wind is all over the place, mostly onshore or cross. There’s nothing to get excited about. It’s a proper flat spell.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. Monday the 14th of September is the standout. The morning shows a solid 6ft swell from the West with a 10-second period, but the energy is big (1263). The wind is light and cross-shore, so it’s going to be a little bumpy, but it’s the best we’ve seen. The afternoon gets even better for the wave quality, with a 6ft swell from the WNW and a *very long* 15-second period. That’s proper groundswell, 1563 energy. The wind picks up a notch to a moderate cross-shore, but that long period will hold the shape. This is a point-break sort of day – long period swells can break a bit too straight at a beach break, but Harlyn can handle it. It’s a proper session.

Tuesday the 15th of September is for the experts only. The morning sees a strong 8ft swell from the WSW (1848 energy), and that’s big. The wind is a strong offshore breeze, so the faces will be clean, but that’s a serious amount of water moving. It’s too big for the average surfer. The afternoon jumps to 10ft, and that’s pushing limits. Only for the experienced crew.

So, for the best of the bunch: Monday the 14th of September is your pick. The morning is more manageable, the afternoon holds the quality. The second week’s big day on the 15th is a solid option for the advanced crew, but it’s a heavy one.

Alright, that’s the lay of the land. Keep an eye on the wind, and don’t bother with the first week unless you’re desperate for a paddle on Sunday morning.

Rusty.

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