72nd Place Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s on the cards for 72nd Place over the next couple of weeks. I gotta be straight with you—this stretch looks pretty grim for a proper surf. The models are showing small swell and poor conditions day after day, so don't expect much.

We’ve got a long run of nothing worth getting excited about. The first real chance to even look at the ocean comes Monday the 14th of September, but it’s not a great picture. There’s a tiny bit of swell from the southwest, around 1 ft, with a very long period of 18 seconds. Combined wave energy is in the moderate range (218). The water temperature is sitting at 72°—that’s more than three degrees warmer than normal for this time of year, which is really unusual. Problem is, the wind is out of the south at 9 mph, cross-on, making it choppy. The break is sheltered and inconsistent, so this is more of a paddle around than a surf session. It’s not beginner-friendly at those sizes anyway, but the chop will put off most.

Tuesday the 15th and Wednesday the 16th are much the same story: 1 ft to 3 ft swell from the southwest, periods dropping from 16 to 20 seconds. Wind stays cross-on or onshore. Energy climbs a bit into the moderate upper range (255 to 374), but the “poor surf conditions” tag says it all. The crowd profile says they show up “sometimes” here, but there’s no reason to fight for scraps.

The weekend of the 19th to 20th of September sees a small bump in swell height to 3 ft from the southwest, with period around 18 seconds. Energy picks up to the 365–503 range, still moderate to strong. But the wind is still cross-on or onshore from the south or southwest at 6 to 9 mph. Morning sessions with a light breeze might look a little less messy, but don’t count on any quality.

Through the following week, from the 22nd to the 29th of September, the trend continues. Swell hovers between 2 ft and 3 ft, period drops from 16 seconds down to 12 seconds by the final days. The best you can hope for is a morning with light winds (3 to 6 mph) and a touch of offshore direction, like on the morning of the 29th with a 3 mph wind from the SSW. But the swell is tiny—only 2 ft—and it’s inconsistent. Combined energy is weak (208). For beginners, the swell rarely tops anything dangerous, but the quality is so poor it’s hard to recommend.

There are no standout days here. If you’re desperate for a paddle, the morning of Sunday the 27th or Monday the 28th might offer the cleanest surface with light winds, but the swell is small. Honestly, this whole 16-day window looks more like a waiting game. For this area, a blank run like this isn’t uncommon. Things can change, but right now, it’s not looking good.

Stay patient. – Rusty

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