Publics Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, Rusty here again. Let's break down the surf for Publics in terms you can feel.

We're looking at a beach and reef setup, wide open to the swell. Beginner-friendly, but the water's right around 81°, which is what you'd expect for this time of year.

The first few days are a fight. Saturday, September 5th, starts with a 30 km/h cross-offshore wind. The swell is a solid 7ft from the ENE, with a 13-second period that gives it some real power. The energy is strong (2205), but the wind is just too much to make it fun. That same story of strong, cross-off winds and 6ft to 7ft swell repeats through Sunday and Monday. Monday afternoon the wind shifts cross-shore from the ESE, and the swell swings to the SW with a longer 14-second period, pushing the energy to 3676, but it's choppy and messy.

Tuesday, September 8th, is a total washout with cross-onshore winds. Don't even think about it.

Then we get a window. Wednesday morning, September 9th, the wind drops to a light 10 km/h breeze from the east, going cross-off. The swell drops to 3ft, but it's a clean 14-second groundswell from the SSW. The energy is weak (508), but this is the cleanest it gets. It's a small, clean morning for a longboard. The afternoon blows out again.

From Thursday, September 10th, right through the end of the second week, it's a long stretch of marginal surf. The wind is almost always a fresh to moderate breeze out of the ENE, keeping things cross-off but too strong. The swell is a messy mix of short-period, wind-affected waves, mostly 5ft to 7ft, but with periods of 7 to 8 seconds, it's all weak and mushy. The energy drops to moderate levels. The only blip is a potential 3ft, 18-second groundswell from the SSW on Wednesday, September 16th, but it's still getting hammered by a 30 km/h wind.

The one standout is that Wednesday morning, September 9th. It's the only time the wind lays down and you get a clean, long-period wave. It's small, but it's the best on offer. The crowds at Publics are a constant, so you'll have company. After that, you're looking at a solid 10-day stretch of nothing but windy, marginal conditions. It's a long dry spell for a tiny bit of quality.

Rusty out.

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