Magheraroarty Strand Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at Magheraroarty Strand for the next sixteen days. I’m going to level with you: it’s a tough one for us paddle surfers. There are some serious waves on the menu, but the timing and conditions never seem to click for a good ol’ fashioned session. This is a point break that really wants that swell from the NNW, and while we get plenty of size, the wind is almost always wrong or just too honking strong.

The water’s sitting around 61°, which is a touch warmer than usual for this time of year, so you might be able to get away with a lighter suit.

Kicking off on Tuesday, September 1st, it’s flat. We’ve got 0.3m from the north with a short 6-second period and a 25 mph southwesterly making a mess. The energy is puny at 7. Not worth paddling out.

Wednesday the 2nd is a little more interesting. The morning sees a 1.0m west swell with an 8-second period and a light 9 mph cross-offshore from the southeast. The combined energy is moderate at 143, and it’s clean, but the wave quality is described as very ordinary. You might pick up a couple, but keep expectations low. The afternoon is your best bet this week: a 0.9m swell from the NNW – right direction! – with a 12 mph offshore from the south. The wind is a moderate offshore, and it’s clean, giving it some shape, with energy sitting at 146. This is the one quiet window for a beginner-friendly surf.

Thursday the 3rd and Friday the 4th are blown out. Friday morning has a big 15ft west swell with a massive energy of 4881, but it’s trashed by a 31 mph near gale. Not for us.

Saturday the 5th has a conversation. The morning is a 8ft WNW swell with a 10-second period and moderate energy (1044), but it’s called too big for this break with a fresh cross-shore wind. The afternoon drops to 6ft with a 16 mph cross-offshore from the WSW, making it clean, but it’s still a marginal call. If you’re experienced and the banks are good, the afternoon could work, but it’s risky.

Sunday the 6th is a no-go with tiny waves and strong offshore winds that don’t do any favors. Monday the 7th sees another 7ft swell from the west at 11 seconds, but it’s too big again with a messy cross-shore. The Monday afternoon is flat.

From Tuesday the 8th through Monday the 14th, it’s a long, frustrating stretch. Either the waves are too small, too blown out, or the quality is poor. The energy readings are high, but the wind is never our friend on this exposed point.

Looking into the second week, September 14th and 15th brings the same story. Monday the 14th morning has a 8ft WNW swell with a long 12-second period and a moderate 16 mph offshore from the SSW. The energy is strong at 1559, and it’s clean, but it’s again marked as too big for this break. The Tuesday the 15th morning is similar with a 10ft swell and 2249 energy – strong and clean, but expert-only territory.

The very last day, Wednesday the 16th of September, is a monster. The morning shows a 13ft swell from the NW with a 13-second period and an insane 5498 energy. The wind is light at 6 mph from the west, leaving a light cross-shore ripple. It’s a beautiful, powerful swell, but the note screams “too big for this break.” Unless you’ve got a jet ski, this is a show, not a surf.

So, the real standout? That Wednesday afternoon on the 2nd of September for a mellow, clean paddle. Or, for the big-wave crew, the clean but oversized swells on the 8th and 14th. But honestly, for most of this run, the setup here looks a lot more fun for kite surfing than for putting on a leg rope. It’s a quiet period, but that’s the way it goes sometimes.

Rusty.

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