Inch Reefs Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, I'm Rusty.

Alright, let’s be honest from the get-go: this is a grim outlook for Inch Reefs. The next 16 days are a real struggle for any decent surf, and honestly, it’s a long, painful wait for anything that even looks like a wave. The water temperature is sitting at 64°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, but that’s about the only bright spot.

We’ve got a gap of several days with nothing to recommend. The first real pulse of energy shows up on Thursday, September 3rd, with a swell building from the WSW. The morning brings 7ft of swell, but it’s onshore wind from the SW and the combined energy is moderate (575). The surf is poor. The afternoon sees a slight improvement, with 7ft from the WSW, a bit more energy (731), and the wind switching to a light cross-onshore from the SSW. It’s still only marginal, with a 1/10 call, which is the best we’re going to see for a while.

Friday, September 4th, is a total write-off. The morning swell jumps to 10ft from the WNW, but it’s getting hammered by a moderate cross-onshore wind, making it choppy and messy. The energy is strong (1295), but the quality is terrible. The afternoon completely falls apart, dropping to a tiny 1ft. We then get a tiny little window on Saturday, September 5th, with 3ft from the WSW and a gentle cross-shore breeze, but the energy is weak (208) and it’s only marginal.

From there, it’s a slow decline. The wind and swell never really align. We get a few days of small, weak swell (around 3ft) but always with cross or onshore winds. By Monday, September 7th, the swell is still sitting around 3ft, but the wind is cross-shore and the energy is low (158). The whole thing is just a flat, blown-out mess.

Then the real wind event hits. On Tuesday, September 8th, the swell is back up to 7ft, but the wind is a fresh cross-onshore from the S, making it lumpy. The energy is moderate (428). By Wednesday, September 9th, we’ve got a 13ft groundswell from the WNW, with a long period of 10 seconds, but the wind is a strong cross-onshore breeze, making it a total froth-fest. The combined energy is very strong (2843), but this setup is far more interesting for kite surfing than a paddle session. The period is long enough to suggest better shaped waves, but the wind will ruin it. This is strictly for experts only.

After that, the swell crashes out. The wind stays strong and messy for the rest of the outlook. The final week is a total bust, with tiny swell (1.0ft, 0.7ft, 0.3ft) and persistent cross-shore winds. The combined energy values are all in the single digits or low teens. There’s a tiny pulse on Tuesday, September 15th, with 2ft from the W and a period of 11 seconds, but the wind is onshore and the energy is a weak 64. It’s not worth a paddle.

There’s simply no standout in this entire 16-day window. If you’ve got a board you don’t care about, maybe look at the kite setup on the 9th. Otherwise, this is a classic blank run for the area. Forecasts can change, but right now, it’s a tough one.

Rusty.

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