Hope Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the cards for the next couple of weeks.

We're looking at a slow start, but there's a solid window of clean surf coming up. The first real action kicks off on Tuesday the 8th of September. It's a bit of a tease, because the first few days have some quality, but it gets blown out by a big storm mid-week.

Tuesday 8th September is a nice little opener. Hope Beach is a bit inconsistent, but the morning is looking very clean. We've got a light NW breeze, 3ft of SSW swell with a very long 18-second period. The water's sitting at 53°, which is about average for this time of year. The combined energy is a weak 1024, so don't expect massive power, but for a Tuesday morning session, it's a winner. The afternoon builds to 5ft, but the wind swings a bit, and the tide might be a factor.

Then Wednesday the 9th and Thursday the 10th are a write-off. A massive WSW wind sends the swell up over 12ft, but it's a total mess with lumpy cross-chop. That's a hard pass for a paddle board. If you're into kitesurfing, that 13ft SSW swell with a fresh cross-shore on Wednesday afternoon might look interesting though.

Thursday 10th September morning sees the wind drop back to a light NW breeze. The swell is still a solid 10ft from the S with a 16-second period. That's a lot of power – the combined energy is a strong 4410. This is only for experienced surfers; it's way too big for beginners. The afternoon gets even bigger, hitting 15ft, which is just too much for this spot.

Now, here's the standout window. Friday 11th September through to Sunday 13th September. This is the best run of the forecast.

* Friday 11th September morning is a true gem. A clean 7ft SSW swell with a 16-second period, and a light offshore NNW breeze at 6 mph. The combined energy is 2458 – moderate to strong. It's clean, lined up, and for experienced surfers, it'll be pumping. The afternoon goes onshore and too big, so hit it early.
* Saturday 12th September is another beauty. The morning is clean with a light offshore, 6ft of SSW swell. The afternoon? It goes glassy. Zero wind, 5ft of 17-second SSW groundswell. That's a rare, perfect afternoon session. The energy is moderate at 1601.
* Sunday 13th September keeps the good times rolling with a light offshore breeze in the morning. The swell is a more manageable 4ft, so it's a great option for a wider range of surfers. The combined energy is 734, and the whole day looks clean.

After that, the surf drops right off. Monday the 14th is tiny at 2ft, and Tuesday the 15th through Wednesday the 16th is a mess of strong cross and onshore winds with poor quality. There's a gap of a few days with nothing worthwhile.

Thursday 17th September morning offers a small reprieve: a clean 5ft S swell with a 15-second period and a light offshore. It's surfable, but nothing special.

Then, a promising long-range signal for Friday 18th September. The morning looks excellent for experienced surfers: 5ft of 19-second SSW groundswell with a moderate offshore NNW breeze at 12 mph. The combined energy is 1890. This is a long-period swell, so it'll be more powerful and have longer lulls between sets – perfect for a point or reef, but at a beach break it might wall up. It's a bit far out, so keep an eye on it, but it looks like a solid finish to the run.

The final days around the 21st and 22nd of September have more energy, but the wind and tide conditions look questionable, so there's nothing to get too excited about yet.

So, to sum it up: the best bet is hitting Hope Beach on the Friday 11th, Saturday 12th, and Sunday 13th of September mornings for the cleanest, most consistent conditions. The Saturday afternoon glass-off is a special one.

Rusty.

Read more