Kelso (Happy Wanderers) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's get into it.

First up, the outlook for the Kelso (Happy Wanderers) area isn't looking too flash for the immediate future. We've got a real slow start. The finder doesn't show any worthwhile conditions until around Sunday the 13th, and even then it's a real struggle. For the first solid week, from the 7th through the 12th, the surf is blown out by strong cross-onshores from the NE, coupled with onshores. The swell is inconsistent and small, and the quality is poor. It’s a frustrating blank run to kick things off.

The first real flicker of hope comes on Sunday the 13th. We've got a clean, cross-off wind from the SSW and a decent long-period groundswell. The swell is about 3 ft out of the SSW with a period of 17 seconds – that's proper energy and it will wrap in nicely. That very long period means sets will be clean and the lines will hold shape at the point break here. The combined wave energy is strong (516). This is the first time you'll want to paddle out, but the swell is small and the surf is only marginal in quality. The water temp is around 72°, which is about average for this time of year.

It's a slow grind through the next week. The 16th of September has a little spike on Wednesday afternoon with a 4 ft easterly swell at 8 seconds, catching the light cross-on, but the period is short and the energy is moderate (383), so it's not going to blow any minds. It’s a marginal session at best.

The real event, and the true standout in this forecast, looks like it's shaping up around the 21st and 22nd of September. On Monday the 21st, we've got a solid 7 ft easterly groundswell with a 9-second period, under clean cross-off conditions from the S. The combined energy is strong (707). That’s a proper, powerful setup for the point. The wind will keep the face smooth. For Tuesday the 22nd, we see a 7 ft southerly swell arriving in the afternoon with a gentle onshore breeze. The energy jumps up again (852). That's a big, powerful swell. For the experienced guys, the 22nd afternoon could be the session of the window if the onshore stays light, but it's almost two weeks away, so treat it as a promising but less certain call.

The only other notable mention is the window around Thursday the 17th, when a 7 ft SSW swell shows up. The problem is the wind goes near gale force offshore – at 34 mph from the SW. It will be near impossible to paddle into and just a mess. Not worth it.

So here's the bottom line: Don't bother for the first 10 days. Catch that window on the 21st and 22nd if you're keen for the biggest, most powerful swell of the outlook at Kelso.

Rusty.

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