Shark Island (Cronulla) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, Rusty here. Let's break down what's happening at Shark Island (Cronulla). It's a bit of a mixed bag for the next couple of weeks, so we'll need to pick our moments.

Straight up, the start of the run is flat. Tuesday's got a tiny 2ft NE windswell with a short 7 second period and a weak energy reading (64), but with a cross-off breeze it's just not worth getting wet for – the rating tells me it's poor. Wednesday the 16th sees a big jump in size, with 10ft southerly swell rolling in, but that's coupled with a stiff 22 mph cross-off wind. The combined energy is pumping at 1712, but it's looking too messy and powerful for a good time. It's a "marginal" call at best. For the rest of the first week, we've got a lot of onshore winds and small, weak swells that are best left alone. The water temp is sitting about average for this time of year, nothing wild to report there.

Now, for the standout. Thursday the 17th morning is your best bet for a real surf. The swell settles to a solid 8ft from the SSE, with a 10 second period and a combined energy of 1042 – that's proper moderate wave energy. The kicker is a light 9 mph cross-off breeze from the SSW, keeping things clean. This is an advanced-only affair with that size – it's too big for beginners. The swell direction is a good match for the optimum here, so expect some nice lines wrapping into the reef. Just a heads up, the crowds can be an issue at times, so get in early. The water temp is sitting about average for this time of year, nothing wild to report there.

Saturday the 19th morning offers a brief window with a small 3ft swell and a gentle offshore wind, making for clean conditions. It's not going to blow you away, but it's surfable. The energy is weak at 162 though, so don't expect much push.

Moving into the second week, things get a bit ordinary again. Monday the 21st has a 4ft southerly swell with a long 12 second period, but the 16 mph cross-off wind makes it a pass for me – the rating is poor. The 7ft on Monday afternoon is just too blown out. Tuesday the 22nd morning looks the pick of the week, with 5ft from the south and that 10 second period, delivering 802 combined energy and a glassy 3 mph cross-off. The rating says "very good surf conditions", so that one's worth pencilling in. After that, it's a string of onshore winds and small, weak swells right through to the end of the month. There's a bit of size on Sunday the 27th with 6ft from the SE, but the onshore wind kills it. The last few days of September offer tiny waves and ordinary conditions, nothing to get excited about.

So, to sum it up: Thursday the 17th morning is the clear winner – solid SSE groundswell, clean, and packing a punch. Tuesday the 22nd morning is a solid second option with glassy conditions and moderate energy. The rest of the period is mostly a write-off with small, wind-affected surf. If you've got the skills, the reef will be working on Thursday.

Rusty out.

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