Tennis Courts Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here talking in feet. The surf outlook ahead is a bit of a mixed bag, but we've got some serious muscle showing up if you're willing to wait. For the next stretch, we're looking at a lot of marginal surf with a persistent cross-offshore wind. The water temp is sitting right around 81°, which is bang on average for the time of year at Tennis Courts – no surprises there.

We kick off Wednesday, September 2nd, with a messy 6 ft swell from the ENE, but it's a weak 8-second period and the wind is a solid 25 mph cross-off – so it's all a bit blown out. Honestly, the surf is poor.

Thursday the 3rd through Saturday the 5th, we see the swell bumping up to 7 ft to 8 ft, still from the ENE, but the short period (7 to 8 seconds) keeps it from being anything special. The wind is still a stiff cross-off at 19-25 mph, so it's clean but a bit wild and not well-shaped. On the 5th, the period jumps to a nice 14 seconds (groundswell) but the energy remains moderate in the 2578 range, and the swell still doesn't have the right direction for this reef to really light up. The wave comment says "marginal surf forecast" through all this, so don't get your hopes up.

Sunday the 6th and Monday the 7th are more of the same story with 7 ft to 8 ft ENE swell and moderate energy (2318 to 4301). It's the strongest energy we've seen so far, but the direction isn't ideal for the break's optimum SSE angle. It's still clean but not really working.

Tuesday the 8th is a big shift. A huge SSW groundswell fills in, with a 16 ft face at 13 seconds on Tuesday morning. That's serious business – the combined energy is a massive 10220, indicating very strong wave energy. However, the wind is a 28 mph onshore from the S, and the wave comment reads "poor surf conditions". For a reef break like Tennis Courts, that's a no-go for a paddle surfer. This setup would be a dream for the kite crew, not for us.

After that pulse, Wednesday the 9th settles right down to a small 3 ft SSW groundswell with a 14-second period and light, variable breeze. It's tiny and marginal.

Thursday the 10th through Friday the 11th sees a small 3 ft to 6 ft ENE swell, again with better period (14 seconds) but still cross-off wind. The energy is only moderate (698 to 1483). It's clean, but there's no power.

Now, the real standout is Saturday the 12th of September. The morning offers a small 6 ft ENE swell at 11 seconds, but the wind is a cross-shore. The afternoon, however, is where it's at. The swell settles to 5 ft, still from the ENE at 11 seconds, but the wind swings to a 16 mph cross-off. That's clean. The combined energy is 753 (moderate). It’s not huge, but for Tennis Courts, a clean 5 ft ENE swell with light cross-off breeze is a fun, workable wave for advanced surfers. It’s the best window in the whole run.

Sunday the 13th drops off a cliff for two days – everything is under 4 ft and weak. We have a gap of quiet days until the next potential.

From Tuesday the 15th and into the 17th, we see a return of some very long-period SW groundswell (18-21 seconds). The heights are small at 2 ft to 4 ft, but that long period is a rare treat. The combined energy climbs through the 700s to 1071 on the 16th. The wind stays a clean cross-off from the ENE. Because of the long period and small height, these waves will have long lulls between sets, but when they come, they'll be beautifully shaped, clean lines on the reef. The higher period swells from the SW are better for this spot, and the clean wind makes it the clear pick for the second week. It’s a delicate setup but very promising.

Best on offer: the clean afternoon of Saturday the 12th for a fun, manageable 5 ft ENE swell. For those with patience, the long-period SW swells around Tuesday the 15th and Wednesday the 16th offer rare quality, but you'll be waiting for the sets.

Rusty.

Read more