Ketewel Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Right, let’s have a look at what’s coming down the line for Ketewel.

The next 16 days are a bit of a mixed bag, to be honest. We’ve got a solid run of south swell, but the wind is going to be a constant pain. For the most part, it’s a cross-onshore breeze, which is going to leave things bumpy and choppy. The water is sitting at 80°, which is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The first few days, from Wednesday the 9th through to the end of the week, we’re looking at a solid pulse of SSW groundswell. Wednesday morning kicks off with a 8ft SSW swell, with a very long period of 16 seconds, and the combined wave energy is strong at 2829. That’s a lot of water moving around. The problem is the wind is coming from the SE at 9 mph, and it’s cross-on, so the surface is going to be fairly choppy. The size is getting up there – over 8ft – so this is really only for the experienced crew. This pattern holds through Thursday and Friday, with the swell dropping a touch to around 6ft but still carrying that long period energy. The cross-on wind just won’t let up, so it’s going to be a bumpy ride.

Over the weekend, Saturday the 12th, the swell drops back to 5ft, but the wind is still cross-on, and the conditions are looking poor. Not a great day to bother. Sunday the 13th sees a bit of a bump back up to 6ft – 6ft, still with a very long period, but again, the cross-on wind is spoiling it.

The first half of the next week, from Monday the 14th to Wednesday the 16th, is more of the same: a consistent 5ft – 6ft SSW swell, but the wind gets a little stronger at 12 mph on Monday, making it properly choppy. Not great.

Now, the standout window comes in the third week. The best bet looks like Sunday the 22nd of September. We’ve got a bigger SSW swell building to 8ft in the afternoon, with a very long period of 17 seconds. The combined energy is a massive 4113, so that’s some serious grunt. The wind is still cross-on from the SE at 9 mph, which is a shame, but the size and period are impressive. This is a big, powerful groundswell that will be better suited to the breaks that can handle it – the reef will be working hard. If you’re an expert and you can handle the wonky wind, this is the pick of the bunch.

The following day, Monday the 23rd, and Tuesday the 24th, keep the size up around 7ft – 8ft, with the same long period SSW pulse. The wind stays cross-on, so the texture is never going to be glassy, but there’s plenty of water moving.

Overall, there’s a lot of swell on offer, but the wind is the real story here. It’s not going to be a clean, fun session. The late September pulse is the one to watch, but it’s a long way out, so keep an eye on the forecasts. For now, it’s a case of riding what you get.

Rusty.

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