Terra Mar Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s shaping up for Terra Mar over the next couple of weeks.

To be honest, mate, the outlook is a bit of a mixed bag. We’ve got a lot of small, clean-looking swell windows, but the wave quality is mostly marginal or poor. The water is a real standout though – it’s sitting at 73°F on the Tuesday morning, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year, so you won’t need a thick suit.

The first sniff of surf is on Tuesday morning, September 8th. Swell is 4 ft from the SSW, with a period of 10 seconds and a moderate combined energy of 539. The wind is a westerly cross-shore at 9 mph, which is a gentle breeze. It’s not perfect, but it’s surfable. The report says “marginal surf forecast,” so don’t expect magic, but it’s the best we’ve got early on.

Tuesday afternoon drops off quickly – wind picks up to 19 mph from the same direction, making it lumpy and choppy. Score is zero. Wednesday and Thursday are small – 2 ft to 3 ft – with a really long period groundswell from the SSW/SW. The period hits 16 to 17 seconds on Wednesday, which is proper long-period energy. This kind of swell is best at a point break like Terra Mar, but the wind is cross-onshore, so it’s not clean. Still, the morning wind is light, so if you’re keen, you might get a few lined-up waves before the breeze picks up. Combined energy is moderate (375-634).

Friday through to the end of the first week (September 12-14) is mostly poor. Swell drops to 2 ft-2 ft, periods are shorter, and the wind is mostly cross-onshore or onshore. The Saturday morning (September 12th) has a 2 ft swell from the SW with a 14-second period, but the wind is onshore at 9 mph. Not worth a paddle.

Then there’s a gap. From around September 14th afternoon through to September 17th, the swell is tiny (1 ft-3 ft) and the wind is mostly light onshore. A few 18-20 second periods pop up, but with such small waves, it’s only for the most patient.

The standout opportunity comes on Monday, September 21st. Swell holds at 3 ft from the SW, with a 16-17 second period, and combined energy is 632 – the highest we see in the whole period. The wind is from the west at 6 mph, which is a light cross-onshore. The report says “marginal,” but given the long period, this is the best chance for some clean, lined-up waves at Terra Mar. The light wind means it’ll be smoother than the rest of the week.

After that, the last couple of days (September 22-23) are similar – 3 ft to 3 ft, with light winds, but the energy drops a bit and the quality is still “marginal” or “poor.” It’s consistent, but not a classic.

Overall, the best bet is the Monday morning, September 21st. It’s the biggest and cleanest window we’ve got. For the rest, keep your expectations low – the water is warm, but the waves are small and mostly messy.

Rusty.

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