Horse Trails Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let me tell you how it’s looking for Horse Trails over the next couple of weeks. I’ve been watching this one, and it’s a bit of a mixed bag, so listen up.

First thing you gotta know – the water is much colder than normal right now, coming in at 56°F. That’s about 4°F below what you’d expect for this time of year. So bring a thick wetsuit, yeah?

The opening act kicks off Friday morning, 28 August. You won’t believe it – dead glassy conditions with a 3ft groundswell from the WSW, period a solid 16 seconds. Combined energy is sitting at 644 (moderate). For a sandbar like this, that long period can make things a little straight, but with no wind, I’d paddle out early for some clean, peeling lines. If you can get on it, this is a proper standout for the whole run. Just be aware, it *sometimes* gets crowded here.

Friday afternoon turns a bit cloudy, wind swings S at 6 mph and goes cross-on. The swell builds to 4ft (14 second period) but the wave quality drops. It’s marginal, touch and go.

Saturday the 29th, morning is clean with a cross-off SE breeze at 9 mph and swell 5ft (14 sec). It’s still workable but nothing special as the energy bumps to 778 (moderate). Afternoon gets messy – S wind ramps to 16 mph, sideshore, and the wave height hits 6ft with a cross-chop. Bit of a write-off unless you’re after a fight.

Sunday the 30th, we get a pulse of 8ft SW swell (13 sec) but it’s crossed up with a 16 mph SSE wind making for rough, choppy conditions. The combined energy jumps to 2265 (strong). This is big for Horse Trails – definitely too big for beginners, and with that wind, it’s only going to appeal to the hardcore experts. By afternoon, it’s just poor.

Monday the 31st, the swell hangs around 7ft but the wind is light and cross-on in the morning. Still marginal. Afternoon gets worse as the wind shifts.

Tuesday 1 September is where my eyebrow raises. We’ve got an offshore wind kicking in from the WSW, 6 mph in the morning, glassing up a solid 8ft SW swell with a 14-second period. Energy is 2223 (strong). That is a proper clean window for Horse Trails. This is the other real standout – the wind is right, the swell has size and direction (SW – which is the optimum for this break), and it’s going to hold shape. If you can sneak away Tuesday morning, I reckon that’s the best call of the whole forecast.

But don’t get too comfy. Wednesday 2 September is a monster. We see a 15ft SW swell (16 sec) rolling in, but it’s crossed up with a fresh 22 mph SSE wind. Combined energy? 9840 (very strong). That is pure grunt. The forecast even says it’s too big for this break. Unless you’re a big-wave charger, sit this one out. Thursday and Friday (3-4 September) stay oversized with brutal 28-31 mph winds. All the swell is in the 7-10ft range, but the wind just ruins it. I’d honestly say those days look more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

We hit a real lull from Saturday 5 September through to Monday morning 7 September. Swell drops to 2ft – 5ft, winds are all over the place (cross, cross-on), and the energy is weak again (under 729). Nothing worth rushing for.

Tuesday 8 September to Friday 11 September is slim pickings. Small swell (2ft to 3ft), short or moderate periods, and mostly onshore or sideshore winds. Don’t bother.

Saturday 12 September sees a bit of a pulse – 6ft to 7ft SW groundswell (14 sec), but unfortunately, we’ve got a fresh NW breeze up to 19 mph making it choppy and lumpy. Energy is back up to 1532-1676 (strong), but the conditions are poor. Another one for the kite crew, not the shortboard.

So, to boil it down: if you’re serious, your two best windows are Friday morning 28 August (glassy, small, clean) and Tuesday morning 1 September (offshore wind, solid 8ft SW swell). The rest is either too big with bad wind, or too small and scrappy. Get out there for those two sessions and you’ll be smiling.

Rusty.

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