Oceanic Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, this is Rusty.

Right, let’s be honest from the get-go – the next two weeks at Oceanic Pier look pretty grim for paddle surfing. We’re staring down a long stretch of mostly poor surf conditions, with only a tiny flicker of something slightly better way out near the end of the run.

The water temp is sitting at 82°F right now, which is about average for this time of year – nothing wild there.

For the first week and a half, it’s a real write-off. From Sunday the 13th right through to Tuesday the 22nd of September, we’ve got day after day of “poor surf conditions.” The swell is tiny – mostly below 3ft – and what little energy is coming through is weak, with combined swell energy values often in the 20s, 30s, 40s, or 50s. That’s basically flat or dribble. The wind is a mixed bag of cross-on and onshore, so nothing is cleaning up properly. It’s a bummer.

The one small highlight in the whole forecast lands on Tuesday the 22nd of September in the morning. It’s still not great, but it’s the best we’ll see. We get a 5ft swell from the ESE with a period of 7 seconds, and the combined energy jumps to 303 – that’s moderate energy, finally. The wind is a light cross-off from the SSW at 9 mph, which means it’ll be clean. It’s still described as “marginal” but compared to everything else, this is your window. The swell direction is ESE, and the optimum here is from the NE, so it’s not a perfect match, but at least there’s a bit of push. It’s a beach/pier setup, so that short 7-second period won’t do it any favours for shape, but for a beginner-friendly spot, it’ll at least be rideable. Crowds are possible here sometimes, but with conditions this average, you might have it quiet.

After that, the rest of the run is back to tiny, weak swells with onshore or cross-onshore wind. A couple of afternoons on the 24th and 25th of September show “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions” with 3ft to 4ft from the east, and a light offshore wind on the 25th afternoon, but the period is a short 5-6 seconds, and the energy is only around 120-129. It’s a last-ditch option if you’re desperate, but don’t expect any magic.

Honestly, for the next two weeks, the best call is to wait for Tuesday morning the 22nd, or maybe keep an eye on the 25th afternoon. Otherwise, it’s a long stretch of small and messy.

Rusty.

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