Hullets Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s take a good hard look at what we’ve got coming down the pipe at Hullets Reef.

First thing you need to know: the water is sitting at 62°, which is a solid 4° colder than normal for this time of year. That’s a noticeable chill, so you’ll want a decent steamer if you’re heading out, especially early.

The next couple of days are a write-off. We’ve got a massive 10ft SW groundswell rolling in on Wednesday the 2nd, with a long 13-second period and a ton of energy behind it (3431 on the scale), but the wind is junk – light cross-onshore in the morning, then turning into a moderate cross-onshore chop by the afternoon. Thursday and Friday get worse before they get better, with strong cross-shore winds and rain messing up what could be decent size. Don’t bother paddling out until we get through the weekend. This stretch is a full five-day gap with nothing worth chasing.

Now, here’s where things get interesting. Monday the 7th is your first real window. The wind goes glassy in the morning, with the odd Northerly puff, and we’ve got a solid 7ft SSW groundswell at 14 seconds. That’s a lot of water moving. The combined energy is 2550, which is strong. This is excellent surf if you’ve got the experience – 7ft is pushing it for beginners, so leave this one to the crew who know what they’re doing. The reef will be handling that long-period swell well, so expect clean, well-shaped waves and long walls.

Tuesday the 8th cleans up even more. The morning is a bit blown out with a cross-offshore breeze, but by the afternoon the wind turns true offshore from the SW at only 6 mph. The swell drops to a more manageable 4ft, still from the SW, still a solid 12-second period. This is going to be clean, fun, and much more user-friendly. It’s not the biggest day of the run, but for quality and comfort, it’s a standout.

Wednesday the 9th carries on with that clean offshore flow in the afternoon, 5ft SW groundswell with a very long 16-second period. The reef will love that, shaping up nicely.

If you’re looking for the real prize of this 16-day window, circle Thursday the 17th. The morning has a 10ft SW swell, 15-second period, light WSW offshore wind at 6 mph, and a massive combined energy of 3672. The notes call it excellent conditions for experienced surfers, and I’m not arguing. The water will be moving, the sets will be thick, and the reef will be working perfectly. The wind does crank up to a near gale that afternoon, so get out there early and you’ll have a session to remember.

Don’t even think about the second week of September – from the 10th through the 16th, it’s mostly junky cross-onshore wind with lumpy, choppy conditions. There’s a bit of size but no quality.

Best bets: Monday morning 7th and Thursday morning 17th. If you want the cleanest, most fun surf without the huge crowd (though, yeah, it’s a reef that does get crowded sometimes on the good days), aim for Tuesday afternoon the 8th or Wednesday afternoon the 9th.

Rusty.

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