Seaside Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, Rusty here. Look, I'm gonna level with you straight up – the next couple of weeks at Seaside Reef are pretty average. The first few days are a write-off, and even when things get a little better, it never really fires. We've got a long, slow grind ahead before we see anything half decent.

The water's at 73°, which is a whopping 5° warmer than normal. That's very unusual for this time of year. Good for boardies, but it won't help the waves.

The first few days are all about small, blown-out swells with cross-onshore winds. Monday afternoon the 14th through to Tuesday the 15th is a total no-go. Small at 2 ft from the SW, short period, and choppy.

Wednesday morning the 16th shows a slight bump to 3 ft, but it's still messy. The combined energy is moderate (520), but the cross-onshore wind kills it. We get a bit of a cleaner window from Wednesday afternoon the 16th through Thursday the 17th as the wind goes offshore, but we're still looking at tiny 3 ft SSW swell. Still nothing to get excited about.

Friday the 18th through Sunday the 20th is where it gets a bit more interesting for the patient surfer. Friday morning has 2 ft SW swell, but the period jumps to 19 seconds. That's a very long period groundswell. The energy is moderate (506), and importantly, the wind is light and offshore. This is the highlight of the whole run. For a reef break that likes a west in the swell, a long period SW groundswell with clean offshore winds is about as good as it gets here. The sets will be few and far between, but if you're on it, the shape could be great. Saturday the 19th is similar, with 3 ft SW swell and that long 18-second period, again with offshore winds and moderate energy (552). Sunday the 20th sees the swell nudge up to 3 ft, but the wind swings cross-onshore, making it choppier.

Early the next week, Monday the 21st, we have 3 ft to 4 ft SW swell, but the cross-onshore wind comes back. The energy kicks up to strong levels (730), but the quality just isn't there for the surfer. If you're into kite surfing, this cross-onshore wind with moderate sized swell might be your jam, but for a paddle surfer, it's a pass.

From Tuesday the 22nd through to the end of the forecast period on the 29th, it's all pretty grim. Wind is mostly offshore, but the swell drops back to 2 ft to 3 ft with periods fading from 16 seconds down to 13 seconds. The energy drops to the lower moderate range or even weak. It's just small and weak.

If I had to pick the one true standout, it's Friday morning the 18th of September. That long period groundswell lining up with a clean offshore wind at Seaside Reef is the closest we get to something special. It'll be inconsistent, because this break rarely pumps, but the quality should be there. Saturday the 19th is a close second.

Seaside Reef is an exposed reef for advanced surfers only, and the crowds here are often. Just be ready to share it, even when it's small. This has been a bit of a quiet run, but it won't stay poor forever.

Rusty.

Read more