Publics Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a proper look at what's coming our way for Publics.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – the next week and a half is a bit of a write-off. We've got a long stretch of nothing special on the cards. The surf is there, but the conditions are just not playing ball. The winds are stuck in a cross-off pattern from the east-northeast, which isn't terrible for shape, but the real killer is that the swell is mixed up with short-period wind chop for days on end. The wave energy is moderate, but it's all over the place, and the scores are low. You're looking at a lot of small, weak stuff or junky, blown-out lines. For the first few days up to September 17th, we're talking small swell around 2ft to 3ft from the southwest, with long periods of 18-19 seconds. That's a groundswell, which is good for points and reefs, but at a beach setup like Publics, it can break a bit too straight and be inconsistent. The water temp is sitting at 81° with a normal anomaly, so it's about what you'd expect for this time of year.

Then things get a bit bigger, but not better. From the 17th through the 22nd, we see the swell jump up to 6ft to 8ft, but it's all coming from the east-northeast with a terrible period of 7 to 9 seconds – that's pure windswell, and it's going to be messy. The winds are fresh and strong, 18 to 25 mph, which will just rip the face off anything that tries to stand up. The energy is high, with values hitting into the 1000s, but it's ugly energy. Honestly, for a few of those days, the setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing unless you're a glutton for punishment.

The standout window, and I mean the only real one, is shaping up for Wednesday, September 23rd. This is the one to circle on your calendar. The forecast shows the swell holding at a solid 8ft from the east, with a period of 9 seconds – a big improvement. But the real magic is the wind. It's swinging around to the northeast and dropping to a gentle 9 mph, and it's forecast as *offshore*. That means clean, groomed faces. The wave energy is very strong at 1171, and the score for that afternoon is the highest of the entire run. For an exposed beach and reef break that's always crowded, getting a window of nearly glassy offshore wind is a rare gift. This is the pick of the bunch for experienced surfers, as 8ft is pushing it for beginners. Get on it if you can.

After that, the 24th turns ugly again with onshore winds and thunderstorms, and the rest of the run into the end of September and start of October fades back into small, poor-quality swell with relentless strong winds. There's nothing else worth mentioning.

So, to sum it up: endure the junk for the next week, and make the most of Wednesday, September 23rd. That's your shot.

Rusty.

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