Telescopes Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty, and I'm looking at the outlook for Telescopes. It's a reef break, exposed to the southwest swell, and it's a consistent wave that handles a good southerly pulse.

We've got a solid run of surf on the way, but it's one of those periods where you've gotta pick your moments. The water's sitting at 85° right now, which is about bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

Let's get into it, starting from Friday the 4th. We kick off with a clean 4ft SSW swell, period a solid 13 seconds, and the wind is a light cross-off. It's not huge but it's very good. The energy is moderate (573). Friday afternoon holds similar, very surfable conditions.

Saturday the 5th is a write-off. The wind howls up to 19 mph. Even though it's cross-off, it'll be tough. The swell jumps to a 17-second period on Saturday afternoon, and the energy goes through the roof (1103), but that wind is just going to ruin the surface. You might get a wave, but it won't be pretty.

Sunday the 6th is a bit of a letdown. The swell is there, but the conditions are marginal with that wind again. The energy is very strong (1156), but the wind is just too much. Monday the 7th is similar; the swell is still pumping, but it's a battle against the elements.

Now, here's the real standout: Wednesday the 9th through Friday the 11th. This is where it gets good. We see 4ft to 5ft SSW swell, periods between 15 and 16 seconds. The wind drops right back to a light breeze, which for a reef like Telescopes is golden. The energy is very strong, around 1183 to 1408. For an advanced surfer, this is the window. The water will be clean, the swell will have shape, and those 15-second lines will march through. This is excellent.

Then we hit Saturday the 12th of September. The swell jumps. We're looking at 6ft SSW with a 19-second period by the afternoon, and the energy is a massive 3221. That's a serious amount of water moving. With that period, it'll be a proper groundswell. For a reef, this could be absolutely pumping, but it's going to be for experienced hands only. Anything over 8ft and it's expert territory, and we're not quite there, but the power is immense.

The following week has some promising windows. Monday the 14th kicks off with a glassy morning, 6ft SW swell, period 15 seconds, and the wind is dead calm. That is a magnificent session waiting to happen for the experienced surfer. Tuesday the 15th has another glassy morning, 6ft SSW, also a 15-second period. Just superb.

The run continues. Wednesday the 16th has another flawless glassy morning with 5ft SSW swell, and then again Friday the 18th has a glassy afternoon with 6ft SSW and a 17-second period. This second week is all about the early mornings and late afternoons. The crowds are "sometimes" at Telescopes, so you could share the peak, but with the quality on offer, you'll want to be early.

Bottom line: The standout is the window from Wednesday the 9th to Friday the 11th, and then keep your eyes on the glassy mornings of Monday the 14th, Tuesday the 15th, and Wednesday the 16th for some world-class conditions. This is a place for experienced surfers, especially when the swell gets over 5ft. If you're a beginner, stay away from this one when the swell is pumping.

Rusty.

Read more