Soup Bowl Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's be real about this one. I've looked at the charts for the next 16 days and, straight up, it’s a tough stretch for the paddle surfer here.

The overall pattern is a long, drawn-out run of messy, cross-onshore winds and junky surf. The waves are coming from the east and east-northeast, but the wind is blowing from the same direction, ruining any chance of a decent face. It’s just a constant battle with chop and lumps. There’s a 10-day gap from now until we even see a whisper of a decent recommendation, so don't hold your breath.

Let’s run through the specifics. Looking at Soup Bowl, which is an advanced reef break that’s very consistent and exposed to the northeast. The water temp is sitting at 85°, which is about average for the time of year. But that’s where the good news ends.

Friday the 11th kicks off with a cross-onshore wind from the ENE at 19 mph on the morning session, smashing up a 6 ft swell. The wave energy is only moderate (403), and with that period at a weak 7 seconds, it’s just a lumpy mess. The afternoon is cleaner wind-wise but still onshore and not worth your time.

The whole weekend and the following week are a write-off. From Saturday the 12th right through to Monday the 21st of September, it’s the same story: cross-onshore winds, poor surf conditions, and swell heights dropping from 6 ft down to a pathetic 2 ft. The wave energy also tanks, dropping to triple digits then down to weak two-digit numbers (105). There's a stretch there from the 19th to the 22nd where the combined energy dips below 100 (88 to 94), which is basically nothing.

Even when the wind eases slightly, it's still cross-onshore, and the swell period is short, in the 6-8 second range. That’s just windswell trash. The only time we see a bit of a bump is around Thursday the 17th and Friday the 18th when swell pushes up to 5 ft, but the energy is moderate and the wind is still ruining it.

Late in the window, around Wednesday the 23rd and Thursday the 24th of September, the swell tries to build a little bit, but we’re still stuck with a fresh cross-onshore breeze at 19 mph. It’s going to be lumpy, bumpy, and pretty much unsurfable.

Honestly, there are no standouts here. Not a single good day on offer for the whole 16-day period. For an advanced, consistent reef like Soup Bowl, that’s a real shame. If you’ve got a kite, the strong onshore winds and lumpy 5 ft+ swell might look interesting, but for a surfer with a paddle, there’s nothing to get excited about.

It's just one of those patches, fellas. The forecasts can change, but as it sits right now, save your wax.

Rusty.

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