Shooting Gallery Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then. Let's have a look at what's on the cards for Shooting Gallery.

Truth be told, it’s a bit of a slow burner for the next week and a half. The swell is hanging around but the wind is just a constant pain in the arse, mostly from the north, which puts us in a cross-onshore or onshore situation. The wave energy is there, creeping up from 145 to over 300 (combined energy) from the 10th through the 13th, but with that direction and those winds, it’s just messy, lumpy chop. Not what you want on a reef. The set-up will be more interesting for the kite crew than a paddle surfer most of that time.

We do get one little window on Sunday the 13th afternoon – the wind dies right off, goes glassy with a calm 0 mph reading. The swell drops to 4ft from the north, period 8 seconds, and the energy is still moderate at 243. It’s surfable, but the conditions are described as very ordinary. It’s the only time the wind really plays ball, but it’s a brief, fleeting moment.

Then the swell really backs off from the 14th through the 21st. We’re talking 2ft to 3ft most days, short periods, and the cross-shore or onshore wind never really lets up. The energy drops right down, even hitting 90 on the 20th afternoon. It’s a long gap with nothing really worth paddling out for.

Now, the standout – and it’s a long way off – is Tuesday the 22nd of September. We’ve got a proper groundswell arriving from the NNW, 4ft but with a period of 14 seconds, and the combined energy jumps right up to 756. That's strong wave energy. The wind is light, cross-shore from the NW at 10 mph, which keeps things pretty clean. The catch is this is a reef; a long-period groundswell from the NNW is going to line up well here, but those sets will have a long gap between them. It’s graded as marginal, so don’t expect perfection, but it’s easily the best looking window in the whole 16 days. Wednesday the 23rd morning still has some pulse, with 3ft at 11 seconds and lighter winds, but the energy drops.

If you’re waiting for the good stuff, your best bet is that Tuesday the 22nd. It’s a promise, not a guarantee, but it’s the only one that really gets the heart rate up.

Rusty.

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