Salamumu Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here, looking at the 16-day window for the Salamumu region, a reef break that’s consistent and exposed to the swell. The water’s sitting at 81°, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year, so nothing weird there.

Right off the bat, we’ve got a tough stretch ahead. The first week is a write-off, honestly. From Tuesday the 1st right through to Sunday the 7th, the onshore wind is just relentless – fresh to strong breezes hammering across from the east-southeast and southeast, making everything messy and lumpy. Swell direction is all over the shop too, from S to SW, with periods hitting 12 to 16 seconds, but it doesn’t matter because the wind is ruining it. The combined wave energy creeps up from 387 to a strong 2499 on Saturday the 5th, but without any clean wind, that’s just a big, bumpy mess. Not a single rideable wave in that lot.

We’ve got a bit of a gap there, but nothing changes much. Monday the 8th and Tuesday the 9th are still cross-onshore junk, with lumpy 3 ft to 5 ft swell. The energy is moderate to strong (887 to 981), but the wind is still cross-onshore. It’s a grind.

Then, finally, a glimmer. Friday the 11th of September – the morning session shows a shift. The wind drops to a gentle breeze from the east-southeast, going cross-shore, with a 4 ft south swell rolling in at a nice 15-second period. The combined energy is a solid 1285, and while the rating is only marginal, it’s the first time the wind is not ruining it. That’s the standout for the whole period – a long-period groundswell with clean-ish cross-shore wind. The water’s still warm, and since this is a reef break, that long period (15 seconds) is a dream, giving you proper shaped waves with longer waits between sets. Crowds are sometimes here, so you might have a few mates out, but it’s a top-shelf option for advanced surfers. The swell is coming from the SE, which is right in the optimum direction for this spot.

After that, it’s a bit of a mixed bag. Saturday the 12th is a step down with cross-shore wind and a smaller 4 ft south swell, but the energy is moderate (905). Sunday the 13th has a slightly better chance in the afternoon – the wind drops right off to a light 5 km/h from the southeast, cross-on, with a 5 ft SW swell at 17 seconds. That’s a score of 3, and it’s the second best window. The very long period (17 seconds) will make it a bit fat at times, but on a reef, it’ll still give you some nice, clean lines. The energy is strong (1333).

The second week sees more size, but the wind comes back. Monday the 14th has 7 ft SW swell, but it’s cross-onshore and choppy – not good. Tuesday the 15th and Wednesday the 16th are back to cross-shore wind, with 5 ft to 6 ft SW swell, but the combined energy is strong to very strong (2401 and 1499). The wind is fresh, so it’s lumpy cross-chop. For a reef break, these are marginal calls at best. If you’re an expert and desperate, you might get a few, but it’s not clean.

Overall, the best on offer is the morning of Friday the 11th of September – that’s the one to circle. The Sunday afternoon of the 13th is a decent backup. Otherwise, it’s a long wait for a clean wave.

Rusty.

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