Horse Trails Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty, and I’m looking at the next couple of weeks for Horse Trails. We’ve got a bit of a slow start with some onshore chop, but there’s a window of clean conditions and a proper pulse of groundswell on the way that’s worth getting excited about.

Right now, the water is running at 57°, which is a touch colder than normal for this time of year, so you’ll want a decent wetsuit.

The first real standout is Wednesday the 26th. The morning is looking clean with a light cross-offshore breeze, picking up a 4ft swell from the WSW with a 13-second period. The energy is moderate (851), but the conditions are set to be glassy and clean. The afternoon holds similar quality, with the energy bumping up a bit (1171). This is your best early window for a smooth, fun session.

Things get a bit messy from Thursday through the weekend with cross-onshore winds and smaller, less organised waves. The swell drops, and the conditions are marginal – not worth paddling out for.

But then we get to Monday the 31st – and this is a gem. The morning is glassy, with a 6ft SW swell at 11 seconds. The energy is moderate (943), but with absolutely no wind, the surface will be like a mirror. This is a great chance for some clean, user-friendly waves before the wind picks up in the afternoon.

After that, things get serious. On Tuesday the 1st of September, a big SW groundswell pushes through, hitting 10ft in the morning with a 13-second period and a cross-offshore breeze. The energy is strong (2782). The guidance says it’s too big for this break, but for experienced surfers, the morning session could be a standout. The swell builds to 13ft by the afternoon, and stays big through Wednesday the 2nd. The energy readings are massive (5528 and 4411). This is heavy, powerful water – only for the experts, and the cross-onshore wind on the afternoon of the 1st and Wednesday will chop it up.

Thursday the 3rd of September morning is another glassy moment, with a 10ft SW swell at 12 seconds – still big, but clean. The energy is very strong (2389). After that, the swell drops and the wind turns onshore, making for poor conditions through the end of the first week of September.

The second week sees a drop in size and quality. There’s a small chance for a clean session on Saturday the 5th of September afternoon with a light cross-offshore breeze and a 5ft swell from the SSE, but the period is short and the energy is low. Sunday the 6th has a tiny 2ft SW groundswell with a long 16-second period and offshore winds in the morning – clean, but tiny. The following days are mostly small, onshore, and not worth chasing.

So, to sum it up: your best bet is Wednesday the 26th for clean, fun waves, and Monday the 31st for a glassy morning session. The big swell early September is for the experienced crew only. The rest of the fortnight is a write-off.

Rusty.

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