Inch Strand Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get into it. Over the next couple of weeks, Inch Strand is lookin' pretty quiet for the most part, but there are a couple of windows that could get the blood pumpin'. The water is sittin' at 64° which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so that’s a nice bonus if you’re paddlin’ out.

The first few days are a bit of a write-off. Saturday the 22nd through Monday the 24th, we’re talkin’ tiny ankle-snappers, with swell around 0.7ft to 1ft and weak energy (anywhere from 26 to 31). The wind is glassy or light offshore at times, but there’s just not enough push to get excited about. It's a good stretch to wax the board or just watch the tide go in and out.

Things start to look a little more interestin’ on Tuesday the 25th. The morning has a bump to 4ft of swell from the west, with a period of 9 seconds, and the combined energy is moderate at 220. The wind is a light cross-off from the east, so the waves should be clean and rideable. It’s not gonna blow your mind, but it’s the best surf on offer in the first week. The afternoon drops off a bit, but still surfable.

Then we hit a dry spell from Wednesday the 26th all the way through to Monday the 31st. Waves are mostly below 3ft, periods are short, and the energy is weak (down to 6 at times). The wind is all over the place, but even when it’s clean, the swell just isn’t there. Tuesday the 1st of September is much the same—small and ordinary.

Now, here’s the standout. Wednesday the 2nd of September, the swell jumps up to 8ft in the morning, building to 10ft in the afternoon, comin’ from the west with a period of 9 to 10 seconds. The combined energy is strong—930 in the morning and a massive 1750 in the afternoon. The wind is a light cross-off from the north-northeast, so the waves are clean. But listen, this is a big one. Anything over 8ft is expert territory, and this is right up there. The break is an exposed beach, so expect some serious power and shape. This is not for the faint of heart or the beginner. Thursday the 3rd of September is still solid, with 7ft in the morning and 7ft in the afternoon, and glassy conditions all day. The afternoon session on Thursday is actually the pick of the two days—clean, glassy, and 7ft from the west with a 9-second period. That’s proper surf if you’ve got the experience.

The tail end of the forecast, from the 4th to the 6th of September, gets messy again. Swell drops back to tiny, or the wind kicks up strong, even gale-force on the 5th, with heavy rain and a risk of thunderstorms. The water will be churned up, and the waves that are there are blown out or onshore. Not worth the paddle.

So, if you’re lookin’ for the best wave of the window, it’s the morning of Wednesday the 2nd of September, or the afternoon of Thursday the 3rd. Both are big, clean, and powerful, but they’re for experienced surfers only. For the rest of us, Tuesday the 25th is the most accessible of the small days.

Rusty.

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