Terra Mar Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, mates, let’s get into it. This is Rusty.

Honestly, the next couple of weeks at Terra Mar are looking pretty flat and disappointing. The whole 16-day window is a bit of a washout if you’re chasing decent waves. We’ve got a long stretch here with no real standout surf, just small, weak swells and less-than-ideal winds making things messy.

The first surf we can even talk about is this Thursday afternoon, September 10th. A long-period groundswell from the southwest is pushing in, about 3ft, with a period of 16 seconds. Now, that long period means the waves will have some push, but at a beach break, it can make things close out. The combined swell energy is sitting at 558 (moderate wave energy). The water is 71°, which is a touch warmer than usual for this time of year, by 3°. The problem is the wind is a light cross-onshore from the SSW at 6 mph, which is putting a bit of a crinkle on the surface. It’s not terrible, but it’s not glassy. It’s marginal at best. For a beginner-friendly point break like this, those small, gutless waves with cross-onshore wind aren’t going to give you much.

Friday the 11th and Saturday the 12th are even worse, with waves dropping to 3ft and 2ft, and the winds getting stronger or more onshore. The combined energy plummets to 408 and then 286 (weak to moderate). Choppy, messy, not worth paddling out for. Honestly, the whole setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing through that stretch.

We then hit a real dead zone. From Sunday the 13th all the way through to Wednesday the 16th, the swell is tiny – 1ft to 3ft – with weak combined energy values (240 to 429). The wind is mostly onshore or cross-onshore. The waves are inconsistent and lack any real power. It’s a big gap of nothing.

The best of a bad bunch starts to appear around the 19th of September. On Saturday the 19th afternoon, we see a little pulse of 3ft swell from the southwest with an 18-second period. The combined energy bumps up to 512 (moderate), and the wind is light and onshore. That’s about the cleanest we’ll see, but it’s still small. Sunday the 20th afternoon shows a bit more push with the energy hitting 690 and waves at 3ft, but again, onshore wind. By Monday the 21st afternoon, we’re seeing 4ft from the SW with 17-second period and the combined energy hitting 729, but the wind is a gentle cross-onshore from the west at 9 mph, which chops it up. It’s a tease.

That’s the pick of the second week, really – the 21st of September. The swell size is just about big enough for a beginner spot, but the wind and chop kill the quality. If we had offshore wind, it would be a different story. We don’t. So, for a standout, I’m struggling to find one. The best on offer is that long-period energy from the SW, especially on the 21st, but with the conditions, it’s more of a “maybe if you’re desperate” than a “go get it” call.

Terra Mar usually has its days, but this forecast is a total dud. A blank run like this is more normal for the area when the swell window isn't lining up. Keep an eye on it, things can change, but for the next 16 days, I’d save your energy.

Rusty.

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