Stinky Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Righto, let's have a look at what's in the store for Stinky Bay over the next couple of weeks. I'll be straight with ya – this stretch has a pretty rocky start and a lot of average days, but there are a couple of windows where it might just turn on.

First up, we gotta talk about the water. On the first day with any real surf to speak of, the water temp is sitting at 68°, which is about 5° warmer than usual for this time of year. That's a big anomaly, so you'll be feeling that unusual warmth when you paddle out at Stinky Bay. The combined energy of the swell early on is moderate, around 212, but the conditions are just poor.

The first few days are a write-off. Thursday the 3rd and Friday the 4th are blown out with onshore and cross-onshore winds, lumpy and choppy. It's not worth getting wet.

Saturday the 5th of September shows a glimmer of hope. The morning is still a bit messy with a light cross-shore, but the afternoon comes alive. We see a clean 3 ft swell from the WNW, with a period of 11 seconds, and a light cross-offshore breeze. The combined energy is moderate at 254. This is the first standout. The reef at Stinky Bay should start to handle that longer-period groundswell nicely, and with the wind cleaning it up, you'll get some proper shaped runners. It’ll be an afternoon session, no doubt.

Then we hit a lull. Saturday night through the next week is a desert of poor conditions. Strong winds and lumpy seas dominate right up until the middle of the second week. Sunday the 6th has clean surf but it’s tiny, only 2-2 ft, so don't bother.

The next real moment comes on Saturday the 12th of September. This is the best of the whole outlook. The afternoon goes glassy, with absolutely no wind, and a clean 4 ft swell from the WNW. The period is 9 seconds, so it's a touch short, but combined with the glass, it’ll be fun. The combined energy sits at 253. The break is fairly consistent, so you won't be waiting forever, but it can get crowded, so expect to share the peak. If you can get out there, this is your window.

After that, we drop back into small, average conditions. A few days in the third week, like Monday the 14th and Tuesday the 15th, are surfable but ordinary, with waist-high 3-4 ft waves and clean-ish cross-offshore breezes, but the energy is weak. Nothing to get excited about.

The final week from the 17th of September onwards is another bust – onshore winds and tiny chop, not worth a second look.

So, to sum it up: the only two real highlights are Saturday afternoon the 5th and Saturday afternoon the 12th. The 12th is the clear winner with that glassy surface, but keep the 5th in your back pocket too. The rest is a write-off.

Rusty.

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