Keramas Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, checkin' in from Bali. Let's have a look at what's cookin' for the next couple of weeks.

To be honest, it's a bit of a mixed bag for the immediate outlook. There's swell on the charts, sure, but the wind's been a pain, mostly a cross-on or onshore flow that's keepin' things choppy and a touch messy. The water temp's a solid 80°, which is pretty much what you'd expect for this time of year, no weird anomalies.

The first real standout, and the only break really on the radar, is Keramas. This reef break is an absolute animal when it lines up, and it's very consistent, so there's plenty to work with. The winds are a real killer here for the next week or so though. The mid-range outlook shows a pulse of proper energy. From the 20th of September onwards, we start seeing a jump in swell size, with the combined swell energy hitting 2291 Sunday morning, and then building to a peak around the 23rd of September, with energy readings up to 2507. That's strong-to-very-strong wave energy. The swell direction is a perfect SSW, which is exactly what Keramas needs to fire down the line.

The downside for the whole period is that the wind is almost never offshore. It's mostly a 6 to 9 mph breeze from the SE to SSE, which puts it onshore or cross-onshore for this break. You're not gettin' that classic glassy perfection, and the wave comments keep calling it "fairly choppy." The swell height is around 4 ft to 7 ft. When it's over 5 ft, it starts to push into intermediate territory, and when it hits 8 ft, you'd better be an expert; the biggest we see is 7 ft so it's still manageable for a good intermediate. The periods are excellent though, hitting 15 to 19 seconds. That's a proper long-period groundswell. Those 16-19 second waves will have plenty of power, but at a mellow reef break like Keramas, they should wrap in cleanly and offer some tasty barrels if the tide is right.

If I had to pick the best session on offer, I'd eye Monday the 23rd of September. The SE winds drop to 6 mph and become "on," so it's still offshore. The swell is 7 ft from the SSW at 16 seconds, with an energy of 2507. That's the biggest, cleanest window of the whole forecast. It's a long way out, so don't book your tickets just yet, but if that holds, it'll be the pick of the bunch. The afternoon of the 24th of September also looks tidy, with a similar 6 ft swell and an onshore 6 mph wind, keeping it clean.

But the truth is, for a spot that's "very consistent," the scores and comments are all "marginal" for the entire 16 days. The wind just isn't playing ball for clean, groomed waves. If the wind stays onshore, even with all that swell, it's going to be a bit of a battle. If you're a kiter, this might look more fun than it does for a surfer.

Rusty

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