Number Threes Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, let’s have a look at what Number Threes is cooking up for us.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – the next week and a half is looking pretty grim. There’s a solid week of poor surf from the 29th of August through to the 5th of September. The wind is stubborn, blowing cross-off from the ENE at a solid 19 to 25 mph, which just wrecks the shape. The water temp is sitting at 81°, which is normal for this time of year. The energy is moderate for most of it, but with short-period 7 to 8 second windswell and that onshore kick, it’s just not giving us anything decent to work with. Honestly, it’s a write-off for a paddle.

Now, there’s a glimmer of hope on the 6th of September. That Sunday afternoon shows a real spike: a 13 ft ENE swell at 11 seconds. That’s got strong to very strong energy behind it. But here’s the catch – it’s still blowing 28 mph cross-off from the NE. That size (over 8 ft) is experts-only territory. With that wind, it’s going to be a bumpy, challenging beast of a session. For most of us, this setup actually looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

After that little spike, things drop back down into the marginal zone through the 7th to the 9th of September, with the swell fading from 7 ft down to 3 ft. The period does get interesting on the 2nd and again on the 11th and 12th of September, with some S and SSW swells pushing 15 to 16 seconds – proper long-period groundswell. But the heights are small (2 ft to 3 ft), and the energy is weak to moderate. That low energy combined with the cross-off breeze means the waves just won’t have any push.

Looking right out to the end of the forecast, the 13th of September shows a slight easing in the wind. We get a gentle breeze from the E at 9 mph, turning cross-shore. The swell is still tiny (2 ft) and from the SSW (optimum is SSE), but it’s the most relaxed conditions we’ve seen. It’s flat, but at least it’s flat and clean.

So to sum it up: there are no true standouts here. The only real pulse of size comes on the 6th, but it’s blown out. Everything else is small, windy, or both. If you’re thinking about a paddle, maybe keep an eye on that last couple of days – the wind finally drops, but you’ll need a foamie for ankle-snappers. For now, I’d grab a beer and watch the horizon.

Rusty

Read more