Rhino Head Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for our little stretch of coast.

Right now, things are pretty quiet, but we’ve got a decent window of surfable waves coming up. The first proper chance to get wet is Sunday morning, September 13th. We’re looking at a 3ft swell from the southwest with a very long period of 16 seconds. It’s a clean, gentle offshore wind from the WNW, so conditions are set to be nice and tidy. The water is sitting at 59°, which is about average for this time of year. There’s moderate wave energy in the water (515), but the long period means you’ll get some proper groundswell lines. This is a good time for beginners, as it’s not too big and the wind is helping out. But don’t expect it to last – the afternoon turns to poor conditions with a cross-offshore breeze.

Monday, September 14th, is a bit of a write-off. The swell drops a touch, and the wind stays cross-offshore, so it’s not really worth the paddle. Tuesday, September 15th, sees the swell building to 6ft and 6ft, but the wind swings onshore and gets strong. The energy jumps way up (1197 to 1334), but with that cross-onshore wind, it’s going to be choppy and messy. Leave this one for the kite crew, honestly.

Wednesday, September 16th, and Thursday, September 17th, are both pretty ordinary. Onshore winds spoil the fun, though Thursday afternoon goes glassy with a tiny 3ft swell. It’s surfable, but very small and ordinary.

We get a break of clean but small surf from Friday, September 18th, through to Saturday, September 19th, but the swell is tiny (1ft to 3ft). Not really worth getting excited about.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. Sunday, September 20th, is a standout, but it’s not perfect. The morning brings a 7ft SW swell with a very long period of 16 seconds and a strong cross-offshore wind at 22 mph. The energy is very strong (2146), so there’s plenty of power. But the wind is a bit fresh, so it’s marginal. The afternoon is better for wind, but it’s cross-shore. Still, if you can handle the size, it’s a proper groundswell.

The real gem is Monday, September 21st. The morning is clean with a 6ft swell and a gentle cross-offshore breeze. The afternoon is where it’s at: a 6ft SSW swell, offshore wind, and the energy is strong (1855). This is very good surf. Then, Tuesday, September 22nd, is the one for experienced surfers. Morning brings a 8ft swell with a very long period of 18 seconds and light offshore winds. That’s excellent, powerful surf with strong energy (3491). The afternoon turns to junk with a strong cross-onshore, so get in early.

The rest of the week goes downhill. Wednesday, September 23rd, to Thursday, September 24th, is onshore and messy. Friday, September 25th, sees a big swell (8ft to 8ft) with cross-shore winds. It’s powerful but not clean.

Saturday, September 26th, is another good one. The morning brings a 5ft swell with a moderate offshore wind and good energy (1078). It’s clean and should offer some fun waves. The afternoon is smaller and cross-offshore, but still surfable.

Sunday, September 27th, is glassy in the morning with a tiny 3ft swell. It’s surfable but very small. Then Monday, September 28th, is a write-off with strong onshore winds.

So, if you’re looking for the best of the best, it’s Monday, September 21st afternoon and Tuesday, September 22nd morning at Rhino Head. The 21st gives you a clean, offshore 6ft groundswell with solid energy, and the 22nd offers a powerful 8ft, long-period swell for the experienced crew. Get on it.

Rusty.

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