Raffs Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, I’m Rusty. Let’s have a look at what’s coming up at Raffs Beach.

Alright, we’re in for a bit of a wild ride over the next couple of weeks, but you’ve gotta pick your moments. The first few days are a write-off for most of us – way too much power in the water for a paddle. The standout window is looking like the Friday-to-Sunday run beginning on the 11th of September, and then again right at the tail end of the outlook.

So, the pattern kicks off with a bit of a bang. Tuesday the 8th is already serving up a solid 6ft swell from the SW, strong wave energy (2052) and a super long period of 17 seconds – that’s a proper groundswell. Problem is, the wind is straight on at 9 mph from the south, so it’s gonna be messy. The water temp’s sitting at 56°F, which is about average for this time of year – nothing weird there. Not one to get excited about.

Wednesday the 9th turns nasty. We’ve got a 10ft and then a 13ft SW swell, with a 16 to 18-second period and absolutely massive wave energy (6672 and 16785). The wind is on and strong at 19 mph from the SSW. This is for experts only, and even then, it’s gonna be a battle. Same story on Thursday the 10th – still a 10ft and then 8ft swell, cross-onshore wind – just a lot of water moving around.

Now, here’s where it gets good. Friday morning, 11th of September is your first real standout. The swell drops to a manageable 7ft from the SW, period still a nice 14 seconds, and the wind goes glassy offshore from the SW at only 3 mph. That’s clean, lined-up surf with moderate energy (1580) – perfect for an experienced surfer looking for some quality. The afternoon stays solid too with a 7ft swell.

The Saturday 12th is a cracker. Offshore wind from the north at 6 mph, clean, 7ft SW swell with plenty of push. The morning and afternoon both look excellent for experienced surfers. Sunday the 13th is still fun – smaller at 5 to 4ft, but with a clean offshore breeze from the north at 12 mph. Great conditions, just a bit smaller.

We hit a flat patch from Monday the 14th right through Tuesday the 15th – swell drops below 3ft, wind turns onshore, not worth a paddle. Wednesday the 16th and Thursday the 17th see a return of 6ft to 7ft SW swell, but the wind is mostly on or cross-on, so the quality’s marginal. The energy is strong enough, but the wind is messing it up.

Friday the 18th is clean with cross-offshore wind, but the swell is strong at 7 to 8ft and the wave energy is high (2696). It’s surfable, but that’s a lot of water for a beginner.

Then we get another big pulse. Saturday the 19th is pumping – 12ft to 10ft SW swell, long period, massive energy (4028, 3436). The wind is offshore or cross-off, so it’s clean, but this is strictly for big-wave chargers. Not for the faint-hearted.

We’ve got a few messy days from the 20th to the 22nd – big swells again (8ft to 12ft), strong onshore or cross winds, poor surf conditions. Not your day.

Finally, the real last highlight: Wednesday 23rd of September. Beautiful offshore NNE wind at 6 to 9 mph, glassy, with a solid 8ft SW groundswell (16-second period, energy 3110, 3305). This is clean, powerful, and rideable for experienced surfers. That’s your best bet if you can hold out.

So overall, the two standout sessions are Friday the 11th and Saturday the 12th, with a late-season gem on the 23rd. The rest is either too small, too big, or too windy. Choose wisely, and keep an eye on the wind.

Rusty.

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