Irmas/Leftpoint Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s break it down in feet and knots. Rusty here, and I’ll be honest—this forecast is a tough one. The only break in the mix is Irmas/Leftpoint, a reef that’s fairly consistent and open to an ESE swell. It’s an intermediate wave, but the wind and conditions are just not cooperating for a long stretch.

We start with a dry spell. From Friday the 21st through Sunday the 30th of August, the surf is poor across the board. The combined wave energy starts weak at 96 (Friday morning) and builds into moderate territory, hitting 281 on Saturday the 22nd, but it’s all cross-shore wind. The wind is from the ENE at 6 to 25 knots, creating a lumpy cross-chop that’s ruining any chance of a clean face. The swell is short-period and wind-affected, mostly 3 to 6 feet from the NE or ENE, with periods of only 7 to 8 seconds. That’s not a wave worth paddling for.

Things get a bit more interesting near the end of August and into the first week of September, but it’s still not a standout. On the 30th of August (Sunday morning), we see a 7-foot swell from the ENE with a period of 13 seconds—that’s a proper groundswell. The combined energy jumps to 1627, which is moderate to strong. But the wind is still a fresh cross-shore from the ENE at 22 knots, keeping the surface lumpy. The water temp is about average for the time of year.

The real power shows up on the 1st of September. Tuesday morning brings a 10-foot ENE swell, with a period of 13 seconds, and combined energy screaming at 5649. That’s strong wave energy. The wind is cross-offshore from the NNE at 31 knots, and the report says “clean.” For an experienced surfer at this reef, that’s a window. The afternoon sees the swell jump to 12 feet and energy hitting 6545, with the wind picking up to 37 knots. This is big, powerful, and only for the experts. The swell direction is ENE, which matches the optimum direction for this break. But the wind is near gale force. It’s clean, but that’s a brutal paddle and a serious hold-down. This is a promising but risky call for the brave.

After that, the swell drops. By the 3rd of September, we’re looking at 6 feet from the NNE with a period of 10 seconds, but the wind is cross-on from the E at 9 knots, making it choppy. It’s a marginal call at best. The 4th and 5th of September drop to small, long-period groundswells (3 to 3 feet from the S, periods of 13 to 16 seconds), but the wind stays cross-shore, keeping it bumpy. The energy is weak to moderate (346 to 572).

So, the only true standout in this whole 16-day window is the 1st of September. That Tuesday morning session at Irmas/Leftpoint, with a 10 to 12 foot groundswell from the ENE, clean cross-off wind, and massive energy. It’s a big, powerful reef wave for experts only. The rest of the period is a frustrating mix of onshore wind and lumpy conditions. There’s a big gap of poor surf from the 21st of August right through to the 30th, so don’t hold your breath.

Stay patient, and watch the wind.

Rusty.

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