Saltwater Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here with the outlook for the next couple of weeks. We’ve got a real mixed bag ahead, so let’s break it down.

The first week is looking pretty lackluster, with a lot of small, weak swell and average conditions. For the experienced surfers, the real standout is a big, powerful groundswell that’s slated to arrive in the second week, but that’s a long way off. The water temp at Saltwater (Hurricane Coast) is sitting at about 66°, which is about average for this time of year, so no need to worry about a wetsuit just yet.

The first few days offer very little. Tuesday morning (Sept 1) has a small 2ft S swell, but it’s cross-on and messy. Wednesday and Thursday are equally ordinary, with tiny waves and poor conditions. Friday morning (Sept 4) finally sees a bit of a reprieve with a glassy 3ft S swell, but it’s short-period (7 seconds) and the combined energy is weak. Not great, but it’s about the best of the first week. Saturday through to Tuesday (Sept 5-8) are all poor, with tiny waves on offer and mostly onshore or cross-onshore winds. The crowd factor at Saltwater is sometimes an issue, but it won’t be a problem when the surf is this flat.

Now, let’s talk about the real event. The swell builds from Wednesday, Sept 9, with a 10ft S swell (9-second period) and strong energy in the morning, but it’s still a bit rough. The standout is undoubtedly Thursday, Sept 10. The morning session will see a 10ft groundswell from the SSE with a very long 15-second period and massive energy. This is a serious, powerful swell, and with light offshore winds from the SW, these waves will be clean and well-shaped. However, at 10ft, this is an expert-only affair. For a point break, the long period is a good thing, offering plenty of energy and long waits between sets, making the paddle out a bit easier. The afternoon wind swings cross-shore, but the morning is the pick of the entire 16-day window.

Following that, Friday (Sept 11) still has a solid 6ft SSE swell, but it’s onshore and messy. The weekend (Sept 12-13) drops back to tiny, weak surf. The last few days offer nothing of note, with small, weak swells and poor conditions wrapping up the forecast on Sept 16.

So, in short: the first week is a write-off, but keep your eyes on Thursday, Sept 10 for a serious, expert-level session. The long-range call is promising, but we’ll see how it holds up.

Rusty.

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