Putsborough Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ve got to level with you—the next 16 days are a tough slog in the water. The first few days are a write-off. Wednesday the 16th kicks off with a 1.6m W swell at 10 seconds, but it’s blowing 20 km/h from the NW, so it’s already chopped up and messy by morning, and it doesn’t get any better in the arvo. The combined energy is 492, which is a decent pulse, but with the wind on it, it’s got no shape. Thursday the 17th is worse—1.9m W but a fresh 35 km/h WNW cross-onshore has it lumpy and ugly. The energy is still moderate-to-strong at 388, but you don’t want to be out there in that slop. Friday the 18th drops to 1.3m but it’s still cross-onshore and ordinary, with energy down to 212. Saturday the 19th push back up to 2.0m, but again, fresh cross-shore winds and 476 energy—it’s a mess.

Now, Sunday the 20th is your first real window, and it’s the best of the first week. The wind drops completely to a dead calm glass in the morning—0 km/h—and that 1.1m W swell at 10 seconds is clean. It’s tiny, but it’s clean, and you can actually get a few without getting sand in your teeth. That’s the one. The afternoon fades as a light breeze picks up, but the morning session is a go.

The problem is, after that, the ocean goes dead. From Monday the 21st through to the 26th, the swell implodes. We’re talking 0.6m and dropping by the day, energy values down to 43 and even single digits by the 26th. A few of those days have clean cross-off winds, but it’s just not worth the effort. If you’re a beginner, this is way under your level, and even for the average surfer, it’s a long paddle for nothing. The wind’s calm, but the lack of swell is the story.

Now, we get a tease later in the month. The 22nd of September has some long-period energy on the forecast—0.4m at 18 seconds—but that’s tiny, and the period is so long it’s breaking too straight at a beach break like this. Not worth it. The 23rd gives us 0.6m at 14 seconds with a moderate offshore ESE wind, but it’s still knee-high. The 27th is a small step up—0.9m WSW at 12 seconds in the morning with clean light winds, but again, it’s marginal.

The big one comes on Tuesday the 30th of September. The morning shows a 2.5m W swell at 7 seconds, with a moderate cross-off easterly breeze. The combined energy is 675—that’s the most powerful reading we see in the entire period. But hear me out: that 7-second period is a big red flag. It’s short-period windswell, which means it’s going to be choppy, messy, and closing out fast. It’s not a clean groundswell. For an average surfer, this is over 2.5m, which puts you in expert territory. For a beginner, don’t even think about it. The offshore wind helps keep the face clean, but the short period is going to make it a battle. The afternoon drops to 2.1m but still has that same energy.

After that, Thursday the 1st of October gives us a smaller 1.0m WSW at 9 seconds, clean with a light offshore SE in the morning. It’s a decent if not special little window.

So, what’s the call? If you can get out Sunday the 20th morning, do it—it’s clean and glassy, and while it’s small, it’s the best of the first week. Save the 30th for the experts, because that 2.5m short-period swell is going to be a battle royale that only the most experienced should attempt. For the rest, it’s a waiting game. The middle stretch from the 21st to the 26th is a flat spell, nothing more.

Water temp is about normal for this time of year, so a 3/2 is fine. The 2nd week is all about patience and picking your window carefully.

Rusty out.

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