Inch Strand Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, it’s Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what the ocean’s got lined up for us over the next couple of weeks at Inch Strand. It’s a bit of a mixed bag, so hold tight.

Right off the bat, for the first couple of days, it’s pretty ordinary. The water’s sitting at a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, which is nice, but the waves are going to be a bit of a mess. Wednesday afternoon brings a weak 2ft swell from the southwest with a short 7-second period, and it’s going to be chopped up by that cross-onshore breeze. Not worth paddling out for. Thursday’s looking at a much bigger pulse, but it’s just too much for this spot. We’re talking 8ft in the morning and 8ft in the afternoon from the west-southwest, and while the wind is favorable, this break simply can’t handle that size. You’d be crazy to try it.

Now, Friday morning, that’s where it starts to get interesting. The swell drops to a clean 6ft from the west, and with a glassy offshore wind, it’s going to be smooth as a lake. The period is only 8 seconds, so it’s not the most powerful stuff, but it’s surfable. That’s your first real window. The energy is moderate at 428, but the clean conditions make it worth it.

The weekend is a write-off for the most part. Saturday’s swell is too big again, 10ft and 8ft, and Sunday is just messy with light cross-shore winds and questionable tides. Then Monday and Tuesday, the wind is poor, and it’s either too lumpy or just onshore junk. Tuesday afternoon is looking big, 8ft from the west-northwest with an 11-second period, but again, that’s more than this place can handle. We get a bit of a lull from Wednesday the 16th through Thursday the 17th, with almost no swell at all. It's a proper flat spell.

Come Friday the 18th, there’s some new energy, but the onshore wind is going to ruin it. Saturday the 19th morning is a monster – 13ft from the west-northwest with a combined energy of 2584. That’s a strong, powerful system, but it’s way, way too big for anyone but a madman here. By the afternoon, it just fades to nothing.

Things start to look up around Tuesday the 22nd. The morning has a clean 4ft west-southwest swell with an offshore breeze and a period of 8 seconds. It’s small but clean. The afternoon is a little better, with 5ft from the west and a glassy surface. Then Wednesday the 23rd morning, that’s a standout. 6ft from the west, clean with a cross-offshore wind, and a period of 8 seconds. It’s going to be fun, workable waves.

But the real gem is Thursday the 24th morning. The swell is 6ft from the west with a 10-second period, and the conditions are pristine – clear skies and a light cross-offshore wind. The combined energy is 693, which is solid, and this is the best on offer for the whole run. It’s got good shape, good push, and clean faces. This is the one to circle on the calendar. The afternoon on Thursday is still okay, but a bit more cross-shore and the swell is a touch bigger at 7ft. Still, the morning is the go.

For a beginner, keep away from anything over 5ft, and there’s plenty of that. Experts will enjoy the bigger days, but be aware of the size. The longer period swells over 11 seconds can make the beach break a bit straight, but the points and reefs will handle them better.

Rusty.

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