Junkyards Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cooking for Junkyards over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – the first chunk of this forecast is a write-off. We’re looking at a solid gap of poor surf and howling winds from Tuesday, August 25th, all the way through to the end of the week. The wind is nasty, mostly onshore or cross-onshore, blowing 30 to 31 mph, and the swell is getting absolutely thumped. The wave energy is through the roof, with values around 1451 to 3114, but it’s all just wind mess. Thursday afternoon actually has a 12 ft SW swell with a 12-second period, but with that cross-shore wind, it’s just a lumpy, blown-out mess. Not worth paddling out for.

We finally get a bit of a breather on Sunday, August 30th. The morning sees a clean 3 ft SSW swell with a 10-second period, and the wind is light offshore from the ENE at 15 mph. The wave energy is a modest 221, which is manageable. It’s not a standout, but after a week of nothing, it’s the first sign of life. The afternoon stays clean but the swell drops to 3 ft and the wind picks up a bit.

Then, Monday, August 31st, is the real standout. The morning session at Junkyards is looking clean. We’ve got a 7 ft SE swell rolling in with an 11-second period, which gives it some decent power and shape. The wind is cross-offshore from the NE, blowing 25 mph, and the wave energy is a solid 1204. This is a proper reef wave, and that long-period groundswell will wrap in nicely. The water temp is about average for this time of year. The guide says crowds are sometimes an issue, so if you can get out early, you’ll have it to yourself. This is a solid window for experienced surfers.

Tuesday, September 1st, is a weird one. The morning is a washout with near-gale offshore winds, but the afternoon? That’s a monster. A 23 ft SSW swell with an 11-second period hits, with wave energy of 11284. But the wind is a screaming cross-offshore 37 mph. The file says it’s clean, but that’s a misleading one – that’s wild, dangerous, and only for absolute experts if you’ve got a death wish. I’d leave that one alone.

After that, the forecast turns grim again. Wednesday, September 2nd, has gale-force winds and heavy rain, and the swell is all over the place and blown out. The rest of the first week of September is a mix of onshore winds and small, weak swells. The wave energy drops to 20-189, and the swells are short-period, around 8-10 seconds. There’s a brief window of small, clean surf on Saturday, September 5th, with a 1 ft SW swell and light offshore wind, but it’s tiny. The second week is mostly flat and unremarkable, with small waves and messy conditions.

The Bottom Line: The only real standout is the morning of Monday, August 31st. That’s your window. Everything else is a fight against the wind or just too small. If you’re a beginner, the bigger stuff (over 8 ft) is too much, and the smaller stuff is too inconsistent. For the experienced crew, that Monday morning at Junkyards is worth a look.

Stay safe out there.
Rusty

Read more