Ketewel Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get into it.

We’ve got a mixed bag on the horizon for the next couple of weeks. Now, I’m gonna be straight with you: the first week or so is looking pretty average. We’ve got swell, but the wind is gonna be messing with it, making things a bit lumpy and cross-onshore at times. The water temp is sitting at 80°, which is pretty much spot on for this time of year, so no worries there.

Starting off on Wednesday, September 9th, it’s gonna be a bit of a tease. We’ve got a solid 8ft of SSW groundswell, but the light onshore breeze is gonna have things a bit messy. There’s a ton of energy in the water, but it’s not gonna be clean. It’s a marginal call, a day for the keen ones to have a look, not for the casual surfer.

Thursday the 10th sees the swell dip slightly, but the wind is still gonna be a factor. The morning is still showing strong energy, but it’s still not looking like a classic. The afternoon is a little better with 7ft of swell, but that light breeze is still on it.

Friday the 11th and Saturday the 12th, things are getting a bit worse, to be honest. The wind is more cross-onshore, and the wave quality is dropping off. Friday is a washout morning with 6ft but that cross-onshore is making it choppy. Saturday is looking poor, with the swell dropping to 5ft and the wind making things unpleasant.

Sunday the 13th is where we might see a glimmer of hope. The swell jumps back up to 7ft in the afternoon with a longer period (17 seconds), which means better shape, but there’s still that cross-on wind holding it back. It’s still marginal, but a step in the right direction.

From Monday the 14th through to Wednesday the 16th, it’s a poor spell. The wind is up and the quality is down. The swell is there, between 5ft and 6ft, but it’s just not doing anything for us. The energy is moderate, but the wind is what’s killing it. If you’re a kite surfer, you might be having a better time of it than us paddle surfers right now. The setup looks a bit more interesting for them, to be honest.

Thursday the 17th and Friday the 18th remain marginal, with light onshore winds and moderate swell. There’s nothing really to get excited about. The energy has dropped off a bit, and it’s a grind.

Now, here’s where things start to change. The run from Saturday the 19th through to Tuesday the 23rd is a bit of a dry spell. It’s not great. The swell is small (3ft to 5ft) and the energy is weak. A few days of this, and you’ll be getting antsy.

But hold onto your boards, because the real story is at the very end of the forecast window. We’re looking at Wednesday, September 24th, which is more than a week away, so take this with a grain of salt, but it looks like the standout of the whole period.

The swell builds to 8ft from the SSW with a 17-second period, and the overall energy is through the roof. That’s some serious, powerful groundswell. The wind is forecast to be light and offshore, which, for a spot like this, is exactly what you want to see. This is a big call, a long-range promise.

Now, for that one, we’re heading to Ketewel. It’s an inconsistent break, so when it does get good, it’s a real treat. It’s a reef setup, so it’s not for the faint of heart. With that size and power, it’s definitely a spot for the advanced crew, and yeah, it can get crowded around there, so you’ll have some company. This is the one I’d circle in the diary.

So, the bottom line is this: the next week and a half is a bit of a write-off for clean, high-quality waves. The wind is just going to be a constant nuisance. But that final push on the 24th looks like it could be worth the wait, with a big, long-period SSW swell and light winds. Keep your fingers crossed the forecast holds.

Signing off.

Rusty

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