Inch Reefs Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here with a look at the upcoming surf. We’ve got a bit of a mixed bag on the cards, so let’s get into it.

First up, the water temp is sitting at 64°F, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year. Nice.

We kick things off on Sunday, August 23rd with tiny, weak swells. Early morning at Inch Reefs has just 1ft of SW swell with a period of 14 seconds. It’s glassy, which is beautiful, but the combined energy is only 63. That’s barely a ripple. Honestly, it’s surfable but very ordinary. The afternoon turns cross-shore and the score drops to a zero. Not the start we wanted.

Monday, August 24th gets even smaller. Clean conditions with light cross-offshore and glassy winds in the morning and afternoon, but the swell drops to 0.7ft. Combined energy of 32-35. That’s a flat day. We’re just waiting.

Tuesday, August 25th is where it finally starts to wake up. Morning sees the swell bump to 4ft from the west at a short 9 second period. The combined energy jumps to 209 (moderate), and with a clean, light cross-offshore breeze, this is the best we’ve seen. Expect good surf conditions. It’s not huge, but it’s rideable and clean. The afternoon drops off a bit.

Wednesday, August 26th and Thursday, August 27th keep things small again (2ft and 4ft) though Thursday morning is clean and has a better looking WNW swell with energy at 266. Still, nothing special.

From Friday, August 28th right through to the end of the month, it’s a total write-off. We get onshore winds, rain, and minimal swell. Many days have combined energy in the single digits. A few spots see moderate to fresh cross-onshore breezes, making it choppy and lumpy. Not worth paddling out.

Then we hit early September. The first couple of days of the new month are still tiny and weak, but the wind is clean. Still, no power.

Then things get weird. Thursday, September 3rd brings a jump in swell height but with onshore winds and short periods (6 seconds). 4ft in the morning and 7ft in the afternoon, but the energy jumps to 548. The wind ruins it though – it’s onshore and cross-onshore. The rating drops to marginal-to-poor.

Friday, September 4th is a standout for size, but not for quality. Swell hits 8ft from the WSW in the morning (energy 889) and 8ft in the afternoon (energy 853). That’s a lot of water moving. But it’s onshore wind again, and the period is short at 8 seconds. For experienced surfers only in these conditions, and even then, it’s messy. The wave state is described as “unknown” which is never a good sign.

The days after that drop back to small swells with strong onshore winds, and then on Monday, September 7th we see a massive, untameable swell. Morning has a 16ft W swell, energy at 4457, with strong cross-onshore winds – a total mess. The afternoon is even bigger: 23ft from the W, period 16 seconds, and energy at a massive 23247. The wind is a strong cross-shore, creating a messy cross-chop. The model says wind and tide are favorable, but the swell is predicted to be too big for this break. That is a monster, but it’s a bricks-and-mortar day for everyone but the most extreme tow crews, and even then, the wind is ugly.

The Bottom Line:
Honestly, if you’re looking for a clean, fun session, Tuesday, August 25th morning is your best bet. It’s the only window where the swell is reasonable (4ft, W), the wind is clean and light, and the energy is solid for a paddle. After that, it’s either flat, onshore slop, or way too big and windy to be any fun. The real standout for raw power is Friday, September 4th, but only for experts who don't mind onshore, short-period conditions. And that 23ft monster on the 7th is a pure warning, not a go. Stay savvy.

Rusty.

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