Saltwater Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it.

We’ve got a bit of a slow start, but no need to panic. The first few days are pretty flat, so don't bother dragging your board down for a paddle just yet. The real action starts to build next week, and there’s a couple of sessions that are looking like absolute crackers.

Friday morning (4th September) is a total tease. Glassy conditions at Saltwater with a tiny 2ft S swell, but the wave energy is basically nothing (75). It’s surfable, but you’ll be working hard for nothing. That afternoon, a cross-on wind kicks in and the swell jumps to 4ft, but it’s messy and not worth it.

Saturday and Sunday (5th & 6th) are write-offs. Tiny swell, cross-off or cross-on winds, and poor quality. Even Sunday morning has a clean offshore wind, but the swell is a pathetic 1ft (48 energy). Not worth a second look.

Monday morning (7th September) is where things start to get interesting. The wind goes glassy again, and we see a solid 4ft S swell rolling in with decent energy (300). The forecast says good surf conditions, and I’m getting excited. This is a real chance for a clean, fun session.

Tuesday (8th September) keeps the momentum going. The swell builds to 5ft in the morning, then 6ft in the afternoon from the SSE. The wind is cross-off, keeping it clean, and the wave energy is solid (379-426). This is a good, solid day of surfing.

By Wednesday (9th September) the swell drops back a bit, but the morning glass-off with a 3ft SE swell is a classic clean-up set. Nice and easy.

Now, the standout. The real meat of the forecast is Thursday 10th September through Saturday 12th September. Thursday morning sees a chunky 8ft S swell (1334 energy) with cross-off winds. It’s big, but it’s clean. That afternoon, the energy jumps to a massive 2464. Friday 11th September is the pick of the bunch. The morning delivers a 8ft SSE swell, with a 12-second period, and perfect offshore SW wind. The wave energy is huge (1529), and the report says "excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers". This is a groundswell for the crew who know what they’re doing. The point break at Saltwater should handle this long-period energy well. The afternoon holds up at 7ft (1074 energy) with cross-off wind. Saturday (12th September) is still pumping, with a 5ft SSE swell and offshore winds in the morning, dropping to 5ft in the afternoon. This is a solid three-day window of quality surf.

After that, it fades again. Sunday (13th) and Monday (14th) are back to poor, onshore winds and small swell. Tuesday (15th) is nothing but a ripple.

But hold on, there’s another pulse for the second week. Friday 18th September sees a big 8ft S swell (2563 energy) with cross-off wind, and Saturday morning (19th September) has a 7ft S swell with a strong offshore wind (25 mph). The energy is still high (1402), but the wind is so strong it’ll be hard to paddle into. It’s a promising, heavy session for the experts, but we’re a long way out, so keep an eye on it.

The water temp at Saltwater is about average for this time of year, so no wetsuit dramas.

Overall, it’s a slow start, but the week of the 7th to the 12th is where it’s at. If you only get one session, make it Friday morning 11th September. That’s the one.

Rusty.

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