Kadu Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming our way.

We’ve got a solid run of surf kicking off from Thursday, 3 September, and it’s looking like a nice little stretch of clean, fun waves to start with. The real standout is the first few days, so let’s get into it.

The best bet of the whole period is Kadu, a reef setup. Thursday morning, 3 September, we’re looking at a clean 4ft SSE swell, with a period of 10 seconds. The wind is a light cross-off at 6 mph, which is going to keep the surface tidy. The combined swell energy is sitting at a moderate 660, so there’s enough push to get into some good ones. This is a classic, fun-size wave – not too big, not too small. The swell direction is S, which matches the optimum for this spot, so it’s going to wrap in nicely. Crowds are possible here, so get in early.

Thursday afternoon holds up with the same 4ft SSE swell, still clean with the light cross-off breeze. Friday, 4 September, sees a tiny bump to 5ft, still from the SSE, with the period stretching to 11 seconds. That longer period is a sign of better quality groundswell, and the wind stays light – cross-off in the morning, almost glassy by the afternoon. This is top-tier stuff.

Saturday, 5 September, might be the pick of the bunch. We’ve got 5ft of SSE swell with a 10-second period, and the wind goes glassy – 3 mph from the W in the morning, WNW in the afternoon. That’s as clean as it gets. The combined energy is still moderate (392), so it’s not a beast, but it’s a perfect setup for a reef break. The water temp is about average for the time of year, nothing unusual.

Sunday, 6 September, continues the glassy theme, with the swell easing a touch to 4ft, but still solid enough for a good session. That glassy wind is a major positive.

Monday, 7 September, and Tuesday, 8 September, the swell drops to 4ft and then 3ft, but the wind stays light and cross-off, keeping the surf clean. It’s a slow fade, but still rideable.

Now, from Wednesday, 9 September, things get a bit dicey. The swell drops off to 2ft and the wind picks up to 12 mph, with a long period swell of 18 seconds from the SSW. That’s a very long period, which means it’s a groundswell, but it’s also small and the wind is moderate. The combined energy is moderate (550), but the surf forecast is marginal. This is more of a kite-surfing breeze than a paddle-surfing one.

The 10th and 11th of September see a bump in size – 5ft to 5ft from the SSW, with a 16-second period, but the wind is up to 12 mph again. The combined energy jumps to a strong 1585 and 1674. This is a lot of energy, but with the moderate wind and the fact it’s a beach/reef setup, the quality is questionable. The size is over 5ft, so it’s getting into the bigger range, and by 5ft it’s starting to push beyond beginner territory. The long period groundswell on a reef break like Kadu can be good, but the wind is making it a challenge.

From the 12th of September onward, the swell drops back to 4ft and less, and the wind stays moderate. The combined energy comes down, and the surf is marginal for the rest of the period. There’s a long gap of days with no real recommendation from the 12th through to the 18th of September. The 18th of September shows a 2ft swell from the SSW with a very long 20-second period, but the wind is a moderate 16 mph cross-shore, and the conditions are poor. That’s a no-go for paddling.

So, to wrap it up: the best window is Thursday, 3 September, through Tuesday, 8 September. The standout is the glassy weekend of Saturday, 5 September, and Sunday, 6 September, with clean, fun waves at Kadu. After that, the wind and swell get messy. Get on it early.

Rusty.

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