Road K Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, it’s Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you: the next couple of weeks look pretty grim for a proper paddle. Lots of wind, lots of messy, short-period swell, and not a whole lot of quality. If you’re desperate to get wet, you’ll need to pick your moments, and even then, it’s more about a quick, ordinary session than chasing anything epic.

First up, this coming Thursday the 10th is a write-off. There’s a moderate cross-shore breeze and a weak, 7-second swell pushing in at about 5ft. The energy is weak (236), and with that wind chop, it’s just poor. The water’s running at 71°F, which is a touch warmer than average for this time of year, but that’s about all it has going for it. Friday morning the 11th is the first faint glimmer of hope. The wind swings offshore from the NNW, and while the swell drops to a tiny 2ft from the S at 6 seconds, it’s clean. We’re only talking ankle to knee-high, but it’s surfable. The energy is real weak (50), but if you’ve got a longboard and no standards, it’s something. That afternoon the wind goes onshore and it’s done.

The weekend is pretty much a bust. Saturday the 12th has next to nothing, with swell under 2ft. Sunday the 13th sees a slight bump to 3ft, but it’s got a cross-shore wind and a super short 5-second period, making it bumpy and weak. Monday the 14th morning has a clean offshore wind, but the swell is only 1ft – too small to be worth the effort. For the rest of that week, we’re looking at mostly onshore or cross-onshore winds and weak, short-period slop. The energy never gets above a hundred, which tells you how weak it is. The 17th and 18th have stronger winds, and while the 18th afternoon is clean with a cross-offshore breeze and a 3ft east swell, the period is still short at 6 seconds. It’s a one-star sort of day at best.

Now, the one thing that might get your attention is the 21st of September. The swell kicks up to 5-6ft from the ESE, and the energy jumps to a strong 336. But here’s the catch: it’s coming with a fresh to strong cross-shore wind, which is going to turn it into a lumpy, choppy mess. The period is still only 7-8 seconds, so it’s windswell, not groundswell. It’s going to be a lot of water moving around, but for surfing, it’s poor. With that much cross-shore wind and a beach setup, this one is looking more interesting for the kite surfers than for us paddle surfers.

The 22nd sees gale-force cross-shore winds – you won’t want to be out there on a surfboard. After that, the 23rd and 24th have some cleaner offshore winds, but the swell is only 4ft and the period is still short. It’s surfable, but nothing special. A couple of clean-ish mornings, but the lack of size and period keeps it ordinary.

So, where does that leave us? The standout, if you can call it that, is the morning of Friday the 11th. It’s clean and offshore, but it’s tiny. That’s your best bet for a longboard and a quiet paddle. Later on, the afternoon of the 18th is clean too, with a bit more size (3ft), but it’s short-period and the energy is only moderate (148). The 24th morning is also clean with a gentle offshore, but again, it’s all in the 4ft range with a short period. There’s no big, powerful groundswell on the cards. All of these are more about escaping the wind than scoring epic waves.

And about Road K – it’s a sandbar, and it’s very consistent when there’s swell. But a sandbar with short-period swell and onshore winds is going to be a mess. It’s exposed, so it’s going to feel every bit of that wind. It’s not a spot where the tide is going to save you from a lumpy ocean.

The long-range stuff, like the 23rd and 24th, is a bit more promising, but it’s still a week and a half away, so don’t book your flights just yet. The forecast could change, but as it stands, it’s a while before we see any real quality. Keep your expectations low, and maybe dust off the kiteboard for the 21st and 22nd.

Alright, that’s the picture. It’s a bit of a bleak one, but that’s the coast for you. The ocean will sort itself out eventually.

Rusty.

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