Kelpies Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, my fellow wave riders, Rusty here. Let’s break down the outlook for Kelpies. This is a point break that’s strictly for the advanced crew—it’s inconsistent and only works when the stars align.

The water is 54°F, which is about average for the season, so nothing weird there.

The pattern is a rollercoaster. There’s a ton of energy in the water, but the wind is the main problem. The first chance to surf is Sunday afternoon, August 30th, but it’s not great. You’ve got a 10-foot swell from the SW with a 13-second period, and the combined energy is massive at 5784. The problem is a 12 mph cross-on wind from the WSW, making it choppy. It’s poor surf.

Monday morning, August 31st, is a tease. The wind is lighter at 9 mph cross-on, and the swell is bigger at 12 feet from the SW, with a 13-second period and a combined energy of 7506. But the forecast says it’s too big for the break, so don’t go.

The real standout is Monday afternoon, August 31st. The wind goes glassy at 3 mph from the SSE, and the swell drops to 7 feet from the SSW with a 13-second period. The combined energy is still serious at 2481. The conditions are glassy, making this excellent surf for experienced surfers. The offshore wind will give you clean shape, and the long period means long, powerful lines. It’ll be crowded, and since it’s an inconsistent spot, when it’s on, everyone shows up.

The rest of the first week into the second week is a bust. The wind is howling from the NW and W, mostly cross-on or onshore, with gusts up to 31 mph on Thursday, September 3rd, and 28 mph on Saturday, September 5th. The swell is often too big—over 8 feet and up to 18 feet—and the quality is poor. It’s the kind of setup that looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

We get another window on Wednesday, September 9th, in the afternoon. The wind goes glassy again at 3 mph from the W, with a 10-foot swell from the SSW and a super-long 18-second period. The combined energy is 4691. This is another excellent session for experienced surfers, but that long-period swell can be tricky on a point break. It’s promising, but it’s far out, so keep an eye on it.

The last call is Saturday, September 12th, in the afternoon. It’s clean with a light cross-off breeze from the S at 6 mph, and a massive 16-foot SW swell with a 16-second period. The energy is huge at 15546, but it’s flagged as too big for the break. For the experts, it might be a limit-test, but it’s not a fun session.

So, the only two standout windows are Monday afternoon, August 31st, and Wednesday afternoon, September 9th, when the wind goes glassy. The rest of the 16 days is a mix of howling wind and oversized swell. If you’re an advanced surfer and you can wait for that glass, you’ll score. If not, it’s a long quiet period.

Rusty.

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