Oyster Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’m not gonna sugarcoat it—this 16-day window for Oyster Bay is a real mixed bag, and you’ll have to be patient. There’s a big gap of nothing good at the start, then a few windows that’ll get the heart going, especially for the more experienced crew.

The first real sniff of anything worthwhile doesn’t kick off until Thursday morning, September 5th. Before that, Thursday and Friday are pretty much write-offs—strong winds, messy conditions, and the swell just isn’t cooperating. So, we’re looking at about a 2-day gap of no recommendations before we get into it.

Thursday, September 5th – Saturday, September 6th: We start to see something. Thursday morning has a clean 4.9ft SSW swell with a nice 11-second period and cross-offshore winds. The water temp is sitting at 65.1°, which is just about average for this time of year—nothing weird going on there. The combined energy is moderate at 758, so it’s not pumping, but it’s clean. That theme continues into Friday and Saturday with similar sized SSW swell, but the winds are getting stronger (25-28 mph), so it’s a bit more of a battle. The energy jumps up on Sunday morning, September 7th, with a 5.6ft SSW swell carrying a super long 21-second period and a combined energy of 3231. That’s a serious groundswell, but for a beach-and-sandbar setup like Oyster Bay, those long-period swells can break a bit too straight and fat. It’ll be clean with offshore winds, but it’s one for the more experienced to pick off the set waves.

Sunday, September 7th (Afternoon) – Monday, September 8th: This is where things get interesting. Sunday afternoon sees a 9.8ft SSW swell with an 18-second period—that’s big, powerful, and for experts only. Combined energy is a massive 5671. The wind is cross-offshore and clean, but at 9.8ft, it’s well over the 8.2ft mark, so leave the foam boards at home. Monday morning drops back to a more manageable 6.9ft SSW swell, still clean, and the energy is 2799. It’s still solid, but getting into that intermediate-friendly zone.

Tuesday, September 9th: A bit of a letdown. The swell drops to 3.9ft SW, but the wind is light and cross-offshore, making for clean surf. The combined energy is only 745, so it’s weaker, but it’s a good session for a longboard or a funboard if you just want to get wet without the crowd—though Oyster Bay can get crowded sometimes, so keep an eye out.

Wednesday, September 10th – Friday, September 12th: Another dry spell. The wind swings onshore or cross-onshore, and the swell is small and weak. Not worth paddling out for.

Saturday, September 13th – Sunday, September 14th: We get a nice little window. Saturday morning brings a 4.9ft SW swell with a clean 11-second period, light cross-offshore winds, and a combined energy of 907. The wave comment says “expect very good surf conditions,” and it’s true. This is a standout for the intermediate crew. Sunday is similar, but a touch bigger and with stronger wind, so it’s less clean.

Monday, September 15th – Tuesday, September 16th: Another solid run. Monday has a 6.9ft SSW swell, clean, with energy at 1685. Tuesday morning is the real highlight for the second week: 5.6ft SSW swell, 12-second period, light winds, and a combined energy of 1163. The forecast says “excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers.” That’s a standout for the week. Tuesday afternoon gets a bit bigger at 6.9ft and a 15-second period, but the energy jumps to 2665—still clean, but that long period might make it a bit tricky for the sandbar.

Wednesday, September 17th: Look at this one. Wednesday afternoon has a 6.6ft SW swell, 14-second period, and that beautiful word: glassy. The combined energy is 1779. Glassy conditions are a major positive, and the forecast says “excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers.” This is another absolute standout—if you can get out there, this is the session to aim for.

Thursday, September 18th – Friday, September 19th: The end of the run gets rough. Thursday is a write-off with strong onshore winds and messy surf. Friday, September 19th, is a monster: 18.0ft SW swell with a 16-second period and a combined energy of 26561. That’s an insane amount of energy, but at 18.0ft, it’s way too big for paddle surfing at Oyster Bay. This setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

So, if I’m picking the best of the best: Tuesday morning, September 16th and Wednesday afternoon, September 17th are your golden tickets. Clean, good-sized swell, and glassy conditions on the Wednesday. The early run on Sunday, September 7th is a big swell standout for experts only.

Stay patient, choose your window, and I’ll see

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