Hennemans Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, and I’ve got the outlook for Hennemans. Straight up, it’s a tough run for the next couple of weeks. We’re looking at a reef break that’s exposed to the west, but it’s inconsistent and doesn’t fire often. The water is sitting at 70°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year – you’ll notice it.

The first few days are a real write-off. From Saturday, the 22nd of August, right through the week, we’re dealing with tiny, weak swell and messy cross-onshore winds. The energy is weak, you’re looking at combined swell energy values between 179 and 355 – that’s just not enough to get your heart pumping. It’s all poor surf conditions. There’s a small window from Tuesday the 25th onward where the comments slip from “poor” to “marginal,” but the swell is still tiny, under 2ft, and the wind is never clean. It’s not worth paddling out for.

We hit a bit of a pulse on Wednesday the 26th of August. The swell jumps to 5ft to 6ft from the SSW with a 14-second period, and the combined energy climbs to 1132 (moderate) and then 1336 (strong). That’s decent energy, but the wind is cross-on or onshore, so it’s going to be choppy and lumpy. The scores are still marginal at best, and for a reef break that’s inconsistent, it’s not the kind of day you’d drive for. This is intermediate-level surf, but it’s not clean.

The end of August and start of September are more of the same – small, weak swell, light winds but all cross-on. The energy stays in the 300-700 range, so nothing special. The real standout is a long-range pulse that looks promising but is a long way off. On Thursday, the 4th of September, we see a strong SSW swell building to 4ft in the morning, with a very long 19-second period, and the combined energy hits 1677 (strong). The wind is light and straight onshore, which is a bummer, but the raw power is there. The next day, Saturday the 5th of September, the swell holds at 5ft from the SSW, period 17 seconds, energy 1266, and the wind swings to a light cross-shore from the WNW. That’s the best-looking window in the whole forecast. That long period will make for some proper groundswell lines, but on a reef with a bit of a west exposure, it could set up some nice, lined-up waves. It’s still marginal due to the cross-shore chop, but it’s the best we’ve got.

Then Sunday the 6th of September, we get another pulse of 6ft to 6ft SSW swell, with energy around 1284-1475, but the wind is light and onshore again. Not ideal.

So, the honest truth: there’s nothing in the first week worth wetting a wetsuit for. The only real glimmer is that window around the 4th to 6th of September. If you’re desperate, that’s the time to check it. But remember, this spot is inconsistent, so don’t expect a party. The forecast can change, but right now, it’s a waiting game.

Rusty.

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