Lyall Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then, let’s have a look at what’s on offer for Lyall Bay. I’ve got to be straight with you – the next couple of days are not looking flash at all. We’re starting off with a bit of a dry spell. From Tuesday the 15th right through to Friday the 18th, it’s pretty much a write-off. Sure, there’s some small, clean-ish surf here and there, but it’s not enough to get excited about. The wind is strong and the swell is tiny, so you’re better off doing something else. That’s a solid four days of nothing really worth getting in the water for.

Then we get to Saturday the 19th. There’s a pulse of 6 ft swell from the south, but the period is a short, weak 7 seconds and it’s onshore. That’s a messy, choppy mess. The combined energy hits 494 (moderate energy), but it's not going to be any fun. Sunday the 20th is similar – bumpy and onshore. Not your weekend.

Now, here’s where things get a bit more interesting. On Monday the 21st, we’ve got a bigger south swell coming in, 5 ft with a very long period of 15 seconds. The combined energy is strong at 1193. That’s a proper groundswell. The wind is going to be a fresh offshore from the north, so the faces should be pretty clean. However, that offshore wind is strong, so paddling out is going to be a battle – it’ll be hard to get into the wave. Tuesday the 22nd offers a window: Tuesday afternoon, the wind goes glassy. The swell drops to 6 ft from the south with a 10-second period. The combined energy is still a solid 616 (moderate). This would be the standout of the early part of the outlook. The water temp is about average for this time of year.

Hold on though, because Wednesday the 23rd is a massive system moving in. We’re looking at a whopping 16 ft to 18 ft south swell. The combined energy is off the charts – 6093 and then 8488 (very strong wave energy). But the wind is howling onshore at 28 mph. That’s not for paddling; that’s a full-on, dangerous, unsurfable mess.

The real standout, if you’re an expert, is Thursday the 24th in the morning. The swell has dropped to a still very solid 10 ft from the south with a 12-second period. That is a lot of water. The combined energy is 2871 (very strong). Crucially, the wind is a moderate offshore from the NNW, making conditions clean. The report notes it might be too big for this break, but for a skilled surfer at Lyall Bay, that’s a serious, powerful, and clean session. This is the pick of the bunch, but it’s for experienced crew only.

After that, it tapers off through the end of the month. There’s another potential on Sunday the 27th afternoon, with a 10 ft south swell and a 7-second period, and a fresh offshore wind. It’s a lot of bumpy, short-period power, not the best shape. The final week shows a few more pulses, like Wednesday the 30th of September with a 6 ft and 15-second period swell, with a fresh offshore breeze, but nothing that tops that Thursday session.

So, to wrap it up: skip the next few days. The best bet on offer is Tuesday the 22nd afternoon for a clean, glassy, fun-sized wave. The big standout for the big-wave hunters is Thursday the 24th morning – massive, clean, and powerful, but only for experts. Stay safe out there.

Rusty.

Read more