Suicide Cliffs Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s break it down. Rusty here, and I’ve been looking at the charts for Suicide Cliffs. It’s a split forecast – a whole lot of ugly, then a taste of clean, then a proper monster.

Starting Monday, August 17th, we’ve got a weak 3ft groundswell from the SW ticking over at 8 seconds, but the cross-shore wind is just chopping it up. The water’s a warm 84°, which is pretty normal for the time of year. Through Tuesday and Wednesday the wind stays ugly, and the swell is either tiny or blown out. Thursday the 20th sees a jump in size – 8ft from the SE with a combined energy of 1100 – but it’s onshore and choppy, a real mess. By Friday the 21st, the swell is pumping up to 10ft to 12ft from the SSE, with energy readings over 1400, but again, the wind is onshore or cross-onshore, making it a washing machine. That’s kite-surfing conditions, not for a paddle.

The weekend stays rough. Saturday the 22nd and Sunday the 23rd keep the onshore flow with S and SW swell, but the quality is just poor. We’ve got a solid run of blank days here, about a week of nothing you’d want to paddle out for.

Then things start to turn. On Tuesday, August 25th, the wind finally swings offshore from the WNW, and we get a clean, small 3ft SW groundswell. It’s not big, but it’s clean. The energy is low (123), so it’s a longboard or a groveler, but at least it’s *surfable*. This little window of light, clean conditions carries through Wednesday the 26th and Thursday the 27th, with the swell staying around 3ft to 3ft and the wind holding cross-off or offshore. Thursday morning is the pick of this early window, with a clean 3ft from the W and offshore wind. It’s small, but it’s your only real chance for a few clean waves.

But the real standout, the one that’s got my heart racing, is the big one. On Tuesday, September 1st, we’re looking at an absolute beast of a groundswell from the SSE. We’re talking 38ft at 14 seconds – that’s a very long period, deep ocean energy. The combined energy reading is a jaw-dropping 48026, which is just insane. The wind is predicted to be a clean offshore breeze from the ENE. Now, here’s the thing: Suicide Cliffs is a reef break, and for a swell this size, it’s going to be a straight-up XXL, expert-only session. The file itself says it’s predicted to be too big for this break. This is not a wave for the faint of heart or for anyone without serious big-wave experience. If you’re a charger, you’re looking at the best swell of the year, but you’d better have your wits about you. For everyone else, stay on the beach and watch the show.

So, to sum it up: a long, grim gap of about a week, a few tiny, clean days in the middle, and then a world-class, dangerous, massive swell to finish. The only real standout is that September 1st bomb, but it’s a promise with a health warning.

Rusty.

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