Sandy Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, let’s have a look at what we’ve got for Sandy Beach (Barbados). This is a beach and reef setup, exposed, and it wants ESE swell. The problem from the start to mid-month is the wind – it’s hammering out of the ENE at 25 mph, sometimes 28 mph, and it’s cross or cross-on. That is going to leave it choppy, messy, and basically not surfable. The water temp is sitting at 81°, which is bang on normal for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The first few days are a total write-off. Wednesday the 2nd to Friday the 4th of September, we’ve got solid swell height sitting around 7 ft to 8 ft, but that ENE cross-shore at 25–28 mph just wrecks it. The combined energy is moderate to strong (975–1215), but with that wind, it’s just a washing machine. Not a single score above a 0.

The weekend of the 5th and 6th is where we start to see a glimmer. The wind drops a notch to 19 mph, still cross, but the swell gets longer – up to 13 seconds on the Saturday and Sunday – and the energy climbs to strong (1975–2196). The surf is a chunky 7 ft to 7 ft. It’s still lumpy and cross-chop, but it’s teetering on the edge of workable. The scores are only a 1, so it’s very marginal. If you are an expert and can handle a bit of bump, you might get a few, but for most of us, it’s a pass.

Then Monday the 7th, the swell peaks at 8 ft with a period of 13 seconds, and the combined energy is very strong at 2504. But the wind swings cross-on at 16 mph and flips between onshore the next day. It turns into a messy, choppy beast. That is expert territory only, and even then, it won’t be clean.

The middle of the week, the 9th to the 11th, the swell drops back to 5 ft to 6 ft, but the wind stays cross or cross-on at 16–22 mph, so it’s still poor.

Now, there is a long gap of really poor conditions until the 15th of September, a Tuesday morning. We get a tiny 2 ft swell from the SSW, but the period is a massive 21 seconds – that is a very long-period groundswell. The combined energy is moderate (603). For a beach break like Sandy, a 21-second period can make it break too straight, but it is a reef setup and might line up. The wind is cross at 12 mph, which is still not ideal, but it’s the only day that even gets a marginal 1 rating. It is a long shot.

The 16th and 17th bring SSW swells again, 3 ft, with periods from 19 down to 16 seconds, and the cross-on wind makes it choppy. The energy is moderate (836–964), but the conditions are just average at best.

The best on offer? Honestly, this is a rough run. The standout is the morning of Saturday the 5th of September, with 7 ft of ENE swell at 13 seconds, but the 19 mph cross-shore is a killer. If you are a kite surfer, this entire period is more interesting than for a surfer. The second best is the 15th of September, but that 2 ft at 21 seconds is a real gamble for the patient local.

Overall, I wouldn't recommend paddling out here for the next 16 days. The wind just won't let up. Keep an eye on it – things can change, and a drop in wind could make a big difference.

Rusty.

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