Indian River (Southside) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's cookin' for Indian River (Southside). I've gotta be straight with you, this is a tough stretch. The swell window just isn't lining up for us, and we're looking at a long, dry spell. For the first two weeks of the forecast, the energy is just too weak, or the wind is in the wrong spot, to give us anything ridable. There's a big gap of nothing happening from now until the 10th of September, with swells barely hitting 1.6 ft and a lot of choppy, onshore junk. It's a quiet period for this area, and while it can change, it's looking pretty bleak. We don't get our first real taste of something until the 10th, and even then it's a bit of a weird one.

Hold on though, Thursday the 10th of September afternoon shows a spike. The swell jumps to 4.6 ft from the SSW, and the wind drops off to next to nothing, leaving it clean. The combined energy hits 215 (moderate energy), which is the first time we've seen a number that actually means something. The period is short at 6 seconds, so it's windswell, not groundswell, and it won't have much shape. Still, it's the only window with a score of 2 out of 10, which is the best on offer. For an advanced spot, it's a brief chance to get wet, but don't expect anything special.

After that, it's back to the doldrums. The rest of the second week and into the third week is a write-off of tiny, messy, or cross-shore junk. The 16th of September brings a bit more size, with 4.6 ft from the NE, but it's lumpy and cross-onshore, so it's a complete mess. The energy is there at 153 (moderate), but the wind ruins it. The 21st and 22nd of September see the swell building again, with 7.2 ft from the ENE on the 22nd morning and a combined energy of 584 (strong), but it's accompanied by a moderate cross-onshore wind and a short period of 8 seconds. That's a lot of power, but it's going to be a choppy, blown-out mess. For a beach/jetty setup at that size, it's more of a kite-surfing proposition than a paddle session. The water temperature is about average for this time of year, nothing out of the ordinary.

So, to sum it up, the only real stand-out, and I'm using that term loosely, is Thursday the 10th of September afternoon. It's clean, and there's a wave, but it's short period and just a brief window. Everything else is a non-starter. It's a frustrating outlook, but that's the way this one goes.

Read more