72nd Place Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty, and I’m looking at the next 16 days for our little slice of coast. Honestly, I’ve got to be straight with you: it’s a grim stretch for anyone who wants to paddle out. The forecast is packed with onshore and cross-onshore winds, and the wave quality is just not there. We’re looking at a long, long gap with no real surf to get excited about.

The first chance to even think about a wave comes on Wednesday, 2nd September, at 72nd Place. We’ll see a 3ft SSW swell, but it’s wrapping in at 12 seconds, with a light onshore breeze. The combined energy is moderate (452), but the conditions are only marginal. It’s not a recommendation, just a note that the water is moving. The water temp is about average for this time of year, nothing to write home about.

The pattern continues through the first week of September. We get a few pulses of SSW swell, but the wind is almost always on it from the SW or WSW – 6 to 12 mph, cross-on every time. The mornings offer a slight reprieve with lighter winds, but the swell is small and the period is short, making for messy, bumpy faces. The energy stays moderate, reaching 770 by the afternoon of Saturday, 30th August, but it’s all wind chop.

Then, on Monday, 7th September, we finally get a bit of a break. The morning shows a glassy window with a 2ft SSW swell, a 16-second period, and light wind from the WSW. The combined energy is weak (290), but the conditions are described as “surfable” – which is the best we’ve seen. It’s the only stand-out moment in the whole run, but even then, the swell is tiny. The very long period (16 seconds) means it’s a groundswell, which might offer some clean, lined-up waves at a point break or reef, but here at a beach break, it could be a bit too straight and close out. Still, it’s the only window where the paddle out won’t feel like a battle.

After that, it’s back to the same story. The swell picks up a bit on Tuesday, 8th September, and Wednesday, 9th September, with 4ft to 6ft S and S swell, and the combined energy gets strong, hitting 1082 on Wednesday morning. But the wind is on it again, and the period drops to 11-12 seconds, making for a messy, choppy lineup. The swell is over 5ft, so it’s getting too big for beginners, and the wind is just ruining it. It’s the kind of setup that would be more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

The last few days, from 10th to 12th September, fade back to 2ft to 3ft SW swell, with the same old cross-onshore wind. The energy drops back to moderate. It’s a flat, frustrating end to the outlook.

So, to sum it up: there’s only one brief, glassy moment on the morning of Monday, 7th September, with a small, long-period groundswell. That’s your best bet, but it’s tiny. Otherwise, this 16-day window is a total write-off. The consistent onshore flow is just relentless. It’s a blank run, and for this area, that’s just how it goes sometimes.

Rusty.

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