Pilgrim Avenue Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get straight into it. We’ve got one spot on the radar for the next 16 days: Pilgrim Avenue. It’s a reef and point setup, fairly consistent, and takes a SSE swell. The optimum direction is SSE, so we’re looking for swells that match that.

Right off the bat, the first few days are a bit of a write-off. Thursday the 10th of September starts with a 5ft swell from the SSW, but the period is a short 7 seconds, and the wind is blowing 16 mph from the WSW, making it offshore but bumpy. The combined energy sits at 255 (moderate), but the conditions are just ordinary. The swell drops off fast, and from Friday morning through the weekend, we’re looking at tiny, weak surf with poor conditions. There’s a gap of a few days with nothing really worth paddling out for.

Then, on Sunday the 13th of September, we get a little glimmer. The morning is a no-go with light rain and cross-onshore wind, but the afternoon turns glassy. The wind goes dead calm, and the swell is only 3ft from the SSE, period a short 5 seconds, combined energy 77 (weak). It’s not big, but that glassy surface will make it look pretty. Perfect for a longboard or a funboard if you’re just keen to get wet.

Honestly, though, the standout for the whole 16-day window is a bit of a stretch. The best of a mediocre bunch might be the afternoon of Sunday the 13th. The water temp is about 69°F, which is normal for this time of year, so no need to worry about a wetsuit change. Crowds are "sometimes" here, so you might have a few others out, but with conditions that marginal, it probably won’t be packed.

After that, it’s back to the doldrums. Monday the 14th through to the end of the forecast period is a long stretch of tiny, weak, or onshore junk. The swell never really gets its act together, and the wind is mostly cross or onshore. There’s a brief moment on the 20th of September where the afternoon swell hits 4ft from the S, period 5 seconds, combined energy 97 (still weak), with clean offshore winds from the SSW at 12 mph. But even then, the period is short, and the quality is poor.

For the rest of the second week, it’s more of the same: small, short-period waves with messy wind. Nothing to get excited about. If you’re a kitesurfer, the constant wind and small waves might look alright, but for paddle surfing, it’s a tough run.

To be honest, this is a lean period for Pilgrim Avenue. The forecast is reliable for the near term, and there’s just no decent swell on the horizon. It’s one of those times where you’re better off waiting for the next system to roll in.

Rusty.

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