Rhino Head Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cooking.

Well, it’s a bit of a slow burn over the next week and a half at Rhino Head. Most of this 16-day window is looking like a write-off for a proper paddle session, with a long stretch of average or poor conditions. The first good note doesn’t show up until Sunday the 20th of September, so we’ve got a bit of a gap to ride out. The water temp is sitting at 59°, which is about average for this time of year, nothing weird going on there.

From Friday the 11th right through to Saturday the 19th, it’s mostly messy. The early days are plagued by cross-onshore breezes and choppy surfaces. The swell is there, with a long-period 15-16 second groundswell from the SSW, pushing around 4 ft, but the wind just ruins it. The wave energy is moderate (around 676 to 860 range) but it’s wasted. Sunday the 13th sees a jump in wind speed (19 mph) but at least it swings cross-offshore, keeping the face clean even though the swell drops to 3 ft. The later parts of that week show some cleaner cross-offshore conditions, but the swell is tiny and the energy is weak (down to 94), so you’d be scratching for a ride.

Now, the one true standout is Sunday the 20th of September. Finally, the stars align. We’ve got a clean, 5 ft to 5 ft SSW groundswell pushing in, with a period of 14-15 seconds. This long period stuff will wrap nicely around this sheltered reef, giving the waves some punch. The wind is light to gentle and cross-offshore. It’ll be glassy and clean – prime conditions for this spot. The combined energy is strong (1246 to 1299), so there’s plenty of push. Because the optimum swell direction for Rhino Head is from the SW, this SSW is a solid match. The only thing is, it can get a little busy here sometimes, so don’t expect to have it all to yourself. This is the weekend to circle on the calendar.

After that peak, Monday the 21st gets choppy again. Tuesday the 22nd sees a solid pulse of 7 ft to 7 ft SSW swell, but the wind is onshore and cross-onshore. That’s going to make it a bumpy, messy affair. Not ideal for a relaxed paddle. The energy is very strong (4278), but with the onshore wind and chop, you might be better off watching or thinking about a different craft.

The very end of the run, Thursday the 24th of September, offers a small glimmer. A clean, gentle offshore wind from the W, but the swell is only 3 ft. It’ll be clean and rideable, just not a heavyweight session.

So, to keep it simple: the next week and a half is mostly a miss. Save your energy for the 20th of September – that’s the day at Rhino Head where the long-period groundswell meets clean, cross-offshore wind. It won’t be perfect without some company, but the quality will be there.

Rusty.

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