Inchydoney Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s shaping up for our local patch. I’ll be honest, the next couple of weeks are a bit of a mixed bag, and we’re going to have to be patient. There’s a whole lot of junk in the water before we see anything worth getting excited about.

The first few days are a write-off. The wind is strong and from the wrong direction, and the swell is all over the place. The water temp is sitting at about 64.0°, which is a touch warmer than you’d expect for this time of year, but that’s about the only thing that’s slightly in our favour initially.

We’ve got a long stretch here from Saturday the 29th of August all the way through to the end of the first week of September where the guidance is just shouting “poor surf conditions” at us. The wind is mostly a messy cross or cross-onshore, strong enough to ruin the shape. Even when the swell bumps up to about 6.2 feet on Wednesday the 2nd, it’s a short-period 7 seconds, and the energy is moderate (450) but the wind is fresh cross-onshore, making it lumpy and ugly. That’s no good for a paddle. The combined energy does get into the three-digit range on a few of these days, but with the wind state, it’s just not worth it. For a sheltered river spot like Inchydoney, a strong cross-onshore or a fresh cross-shore is a deal-breaker.

The first real glimmer of hope doesn’t come until Friday the 4th of September. The morning shows a drop in swell to about 5.0 feet, but the wind swings around to the WNW at 30 km/h as a cross-offshore, and the wave comment is finally “clean”. The energy is still moderate (412) and the period is 8 seconds, so it’s still a bit of a short-period swell, but it’s the cleanest we’ll have seen in a week. It’s not a standout, but it’s a chance to get wet without getting thrashed.

If you’re holding out for something better, you’ll need to wait until the second week. The real standout window looks like it could be Saturday the 12th of September. The morning shows a solid 8.2 feet swell from the SW with a period of 11 seconds, which is a proper groundswell. The combined energy is a massive 1880, which is strong, and the wind is a clean cross-offshore from the NW. That’s a serious combination. The only caveat is that 8.2 feet is getting into expert-only territory, especially with a long period. For a sheltered river, that long-period swell should wrap in beautifully, but it’s going to be a heavy, powerful wave. The afternoon sees a slight drop-off to about 6.6 feet with a 12-second period, still very clean. The following morning, Sunday the 13th, looks like a nice, cleaner, smaller version at 3.6 feet with a 11-second period and a light breeze.

So, the true standout of the whole 16-day window is the morning of Saturday the 12th of September at Inchydoney. That’s the one you circle on the calendar. An 8.2 foot SW groundswell, a very long 11-second period, and a strong cross-offshore wind making it clean. The energy is very strong. It’s not for the faint of heart, but for the crew that knows what they’re doing, that’s the session to wait for. The Friday the 4th of September morning is a decent backup for a cleaner, smaller wave, but it’s not in the same league.

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