Ketewel Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Righto, let’s get into it.

First up, the outlook for Ketewel. It’s a reef break, so it needs the right conditions to fire, and honestly, for most of this forecast, it’s a battle. There’s a rough start with a few days of poor conditions, but things start to look a bit more promising after the first week. The water temperature is sitting at 81°F, which is pretty average for this time of year, nothing to write home about.

In the early going, from Tuesday the 1st through Friday the 4th, it’s a write-off. We’ve got a 6ft SSW swell, but the wind is cross-on from the ESE at 12 mph, chopping everything up. The combined energy is strong though, around 2016 on Tuesday morning, but it’s messy, so don’t bother. The swell period is a very long 18 seconds – that’s classic groundswell, and for a reef, that can be nice, but not when the wind is ruining it.

We get a bit of a shift from the 5th to the 6th. The wind swings more onshore from the SSE, and the swell drops a touch. Still, the surf is poor to marginal at best. The 6th afternoon shows a glimmer with some energy (2153) and a marginal rating, but it’s still not clean.

Now, here’s where it gets a bit interesting. From the 7th of September onward, the swell hangs in there, and the wind turns more favorable. By the 8th (Tuesday), we’ve got a clean 6ft SSW swell with a long period of 18 seconds, and the wind is onshore but light, at 9 mph from the SSE. The combined energy is strong at 2943, and it’s marked as marginal surf forecast or questionable tide conditions. That’s the first real window where you could get a decent session if you can read the tide.

The standout period, and the only true highlight I’d paddle out for, is on the 9th (Wednesday). Morning sees a 7ft SSW swell with a period of 16 seconds, combined energy of 2533, and the wind is light and onshore from the SSE. That’s a solid swell for the reef, and with those long periods, the waves should have some punch. Afternoon is similar at 7ft. It’s still classed as marginal, but this is the best on offer – a bigger, powerful SSW swell with reasonable wind. Give it a look if you’re an advanced surfer.

After that, it tapers off. The 10th and 11th stay in the marginal zone with 6-6ft swell, but the wind gets more cross-on again by the 11th, and the energy drops. From the 12th onward, it’s a slow fade back into poor conditions, with smaller swell and cross-on winds, so it’s back to waiting.

Overall, there’s a real gap of poor surf from the start until the 6th. The best window is a narrow one around the 8th and 9th of September, with the 9th morning being the pick of the bunch. For a reef that’s inconsistent, this is a short-lived pulse, so if you’re keen, be on it.

For beginners, this swell is over 5ft, so it’s too big. For experts, the 7ft on the 9th will be a good challenge.

Rusty.

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