Spot x Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's get into it.

We've got a real mixed bag coming in for Spot X, a reef break exposed to the WSW swell. The water is sitting at 65° with a water temperature anomaly of 2°, which is a touch warmer than average for this time of year – a nice little bonus.

The forecast kicks off with a solid, powerful pulse. Tuesday morning, September 8th, sees a big 13ft groundswell from the WSW with a very long period of 16 seconds. The combined energy is massive at 7820. That’s a lot of water moving. The wind is a cross-offshore ESE breeze at 12 mph, which will keep it clean. This is expert territory for sure; 13ft on a reef with that kind of period is no joke. The afternoon cleans up further with the wind going light offshore from the ENE at just 3 mph, dropping to 12ft, still from the SW. That Tuesday afternoon window is the standout of the entire forecast. If you’re an experienced surfer, that’s your moment. The wave energy is still huge, and with that glassy wind, it’s going to be an incredible session.

Wednesday holds in with a consistent 10ft to 8ft swell from the WSW, but the wind gets a bit stronger in the morning at 19 mph, though it remains offshore. It’s still clean, just a bit more wind. The energy drops a bit (3750), but it’s still a solid day for experienced surfers.

Thursday sees the swell start to back off a little, with 6ft to 7ft from the WSW. The wind is tricky—offshore in the morning from the NE at 16 mph, but turns cross-offshore in the afternoon. The period remains good at 14-15 seconds, keeping the quality high. Still a good option.

Friday the swell holds around 7ft to 7ft, but the wind turns cross-shore in the afternoon, and the period jumps to 18 seconds. That’s an incredibly long period, which can make the waves a bit too straight for a reef break, but the energy is strong (4062). The morning session with a gentle offshore breeze looks cleaner.

Now, here’s the rough patch. From Saturday, September 12th, through the weekend, the wind turns ugly. Strong cross-onshore winds from the west and southwest, with speeds up to 22 mph. The swell remains big, between 7ft and 12ft, but it’s going to be a lumpy, choppy mess. The scores are poor, and honestly, this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. This stretch lasts for several days.

Things try to recover on Monday, September 14th. The swell is still a solid 12ft from the WSW with the wind turning cross-offshore from the NNE. That morning looks clean and powerful again, but it’s short-lived.

The rest of the forecast, from Tuesday, September 15th, right through to the end on Wednesday, September 23rd, is a battle with the wind. It’s mostly onshore or cross-onshore, making the surf poor. There are some big swells, like 13ft on the 23rd, but the wind is from the NW at 12 mph, which is cross-onshore for this spot. The energy is high (6675), but the quality just isn’t there for a good paddle session.

So, to wrap it up: your absolute best bet is Tuesday, September 8th. The afternoon glass-off is the jewel in the crown. Wednesday the 9th morning is also a good call. After that, you’re waiting for a window that doesn’t really open again until the very end of the forecast, and even then, it’s a gamble.

Rusty.

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