Narrabeen-Alley Rights Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here, and I’m looking straight at the surf outlook for the next couple of weeks. Straight up, it’s a grim stretch at Narrabeen-Alley Rights – a beach/sandbar setup that’s exposed to the swell, but the charts are showing a whole lot of nothing for a long, long time.

The first real pulse of any kind doesn’t show until Tuesday, September 23rd. Before that, we’re looking at days of tiny, weak slop. From the 15th right through to the morning of the 23rd, it’s mostly flat or messy – swell heights barely kissing 2 ft to 3 ft at best, and often dropping to 0.3 ft or even flat with zero energy (combined energy of all swells directed here mostly under 100, often just 3–8). Winds are all over the shop too, mostly cross or onshore, so you’re looking at choppy, bumpy water. That’s a solid 8-day stretch of poor surf. You’d be mad to paddle out.

Finally, on the morning of Tuesday the 23rd, we get a lift: a 4 ft swell from the NE, period 5 seconds, with a clean cross-offshore breeze (NNE at 16 mph). The energy climbs a bit (combined energy of all swells directed here is 69). It’s not a world-beater, but it’s the first thing that’s not completely awful. Afternoon that same day ramps up to 6 ft from the NE, period 6 seconds, but wind swings to a fresh NE cross-shore at 22 mph, and the energy jumps to 227 – moderate. That’s punchy but lumpy; it’ll be a bit of a mess for a paddle board.

The standout window – and I mean the only real highlight – arrives on Monday, September 28th. Morning shows a 4 ft swell from the SE, period 7 seconds, with a gentle offshore wind from the NNW at 9 mph. Combined energy is 242 (moderate). The forecast says “expect good surf conditions” – and I’m buzzing for it. That offshore flow will clean it right up, and the SE swell should wrap in nicely for a beach/sandbar that likes ENE swell. It’s not huge, but it’s clean and rideable. The afternoon holds up too, with 3 ft from the ENE, period 9 seconds, and a moderate offshore from the NW at 12 mph – energy at 246. That’s a solid day if you can get out there. Crowds are listed as “often” for this spot, so expect some company, but on a clean day like that, it’s worth jostling for a wave.

A quick heads-up: water temp is around average for this time of year, nothing wild going on there.

The rest of the forecast into the 29th and 30th fades back into poor, choppy conditions with cross-onshore winds. So if you’re hanging for a wave, your best bet is that Monday the 28th. The earlier stuff is mostly a write-off. Don’t hold your breath for much else.

Rusty

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