Linda Mar Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, grab a coffee and settle in, ’cause I’ve been staring at the charts for Linda Mar and I’ve got the whole 16-day story for ya.

So, lookin’ at the big picture, Linda Mar’s got a bit of a slow start with some messy conditions, but it builds into some proper waves later on. The water’s sittin’ at 62.4°F which is much warmer than normal for this time of year, so don’t be shy on the boardies if you’re game.

We kick off on Sunday morning, September 6th, and honestly, it’s flat and ugly. A 2.6ft swell from the NW with a cross-on breeze at 9 mph and a combined energy of only 136 – that’s weak, mate. The wave comment says “poor surf conditions” and I ain’t arguing. The afternoon’s worse; a bit bigger at 3.6ft but still messy. Monday the 7th starts with a glimmer of hope – glassy conditions on the morning with a 3.9ft NW swell, period around 7 seconds, energy at 143. It’s surfable, but “very ordinary” as they say. That’s about the best we get for days.

The whole first week is plagued by cross-onshore winds and choppy junk. There’s a little window Tuesday morning the 8th with glass again and a 3.3ft swell, but it’s still weak. From Wednesday the 9th through Friday the 11th, we see a shift in swell direction to the SW with some serious period jumps – up to 19 seconds on Wednesday morning! That’s a proper long-period groundswell, but the heights are tiny, like 1.3ft to 3.0ft. The energy ramps up though (267 to 551), so there’s some grunt in the water, but it’s all cross-on wind and the wave comments are “marginal” or “poor.” That long period at a beach break like Linda Mar means it’ll likely close out or be too straight. Not worth paddlin’ for.

Then we hit a big jump. Saturday the 12th and Sunday the 13th, the swell pumps up to 6.2ft–7.5ft from the NW, with periods around 8 seconds. The energy readings are huge – 738 to 831 – but the wind is a nasty cross-on 9–16 mph. The wave comment for Saturday morning says “poor surf conditions” and Sunday morning is “marginal.” This is where it gets interesting: with that much swell and those onshore winds on a beach break, this setup looks more appealing for kite surfing than paddle surfing, honestly. Too choppy and blown out for a clean face.

Monday the 14th and Tuesday the 15th keep the size around 6.6ft–8.2ft NW, energy in the 600s and 900s, but the wind goes cross-shore or cross-on. The wave comments finally nudge up to a score of “2” on the mornings when the wind is light. Still, that’s a lot of water for a beginner – 7.9ft is only for experienced surfers.

Now, pay attention, because Wednesday the 16th through Friday the 18th September starts to look promising. The swell drops back to 5.9ft–6.9ft from the NW, period holding at 8–10 seconds. The energy stays strong (631–818). But the wind on Friday morning the 18th goes cross-off and light at 6 mph, and the wave comment says “expect very good surf conditions” with a score of 3. That’s the standout in this whole run. A 5.9ft NW swell with clean conditions at Linda Mar? That’ll have some nice lines. The swell’s still solid size for non-beginners, but it should be a proper session for those who know their way around.

After that, Saturday the 19th and Sunday the 20th fade back to 2.0ft–4.6ft from the SW, with long periods again (16–19 seconds) but cross-shore wind. Energy drops quickly. Monday the 21st is just small and messy.

So, for the best on offer, I’m calling Friday morning, September 18th as the pick of the litter. That’s when you want to be in the water. It ain’t perfect all week, but that one window gives you a real chance at something clean. The rest is a grind or blown out.

Stay safe out there.

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