Sandwood Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for the next couple of weeks.

First up, the water at Sandwood Bay is a pretty normal 57°F for this time of year, so nothing unusual to worry about there.

The honest truth is, the outlook is pretty grim. We’ve got a solid wait on our hands. For the first several days, the wind is just not our friend. We’re looking at a gap from now until about the 10th of September before we see anything even close to surfable, and even then, it’s marginal.

Saturday afternoon (5th Sep) is a write-off – a big 8ft WNW swell is there, but with a 19 mph W cross-onshore wind, it’s just a lumpy mess. The swell energy is moderate (963). The pattern continues for days. Sunday morning (6th Sep) is tiny, only 3ft, with a weak 8-second period from the W, so not worth the paddle. The wind is offshore but the swell is just too small. The energy is weak (192). Monday (7th Sep) sees the swell jump back up to 7ft, but the wind is screaming at 25-31 mph, making it a complete no-go. Tuesday (8th Sep) is an absolute monster – 12ft of WNW swell, but with near gale-force winds, it’s a total washout. The combined energy is strong (2814), but you’d be mad to get out there.

The first real sniff of a decent surf comes on Thursday morning, 10th September. We get a clean 3ft W swell with a gentle offshore SE wind. It’s small, but it’s clean. The energy is very weak (81). It’s a surfable wave, but honestly, it’s very ordinary.

Things get even more interesting, but risky, in the second week. The standout here is a real brute of a swell that arrives Thursday, 17th September. We’re looking at a massive 13ft W swell, with periods of 10 seconds, and the wind is a clean cross-offshore from the SSW at 12 mph. The combined energy is very strong (3020). This is the best wind and tide combo of the whole forecast, but here’s the catch – that 13ft is way too big for this spot. For experienced surfers only, and even then, only if you know the break well. The same pattern continues into Friday, 18th September, with a 12ft to 10ft WNW swell, still clean but massive. Saturday, 19th September, sees it drop to a still-chunky 8ft, but the wind remains a clean cross-offshore. That’s your best bet if you’re not a big-wave charger, but it’s still a solid size.

Given the decent swell and the fact it’s a beach and reef setup, on those big, windy days, it’s going to be more interesting for the kite surfers than us paddle surfers.

So, to wrap it up: we have a long, dry spell until the 10th for a tiny, clean wave. The real energy arrives in the second week, but it’s too big for the setup. If you’re an expert and can handle big, clean waves, the 17th and 18th of September are the only true standouts. For everyone else, it’s a waiting game.

Rusty.

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