The Heads Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Righto, let's have a look at what's on the cards for The Heads over the next couple of weeks.

Alright, we're starting off with a bit of a slow burner here at The Heads. The water is sitting at 59°, which is a fair whack colder than usual for this time of year – we're talking 4° below the norm, so you'll want that extra rubber. The early part of the week is looking pretty average, with small messy swells and cross-onshore breezes creating bumpy conditions. We've got a long period swell from the SSW coming through on Monday afternoon, giving us a solid 6ft of swell with a huge combined energy of 1675, but that SE wind is making it a bit lumpy. It's rideable, but not a standout.

The next few days don't offer much to get excited about. Swells drop off, winds stay mostly cross or cross-on, and the period bounces around. There’s a glimmer on Wednesday morning with a light NW offshore wind for a cleaner 2ft, but the energy's weak at 404. You'd be chasing small, clean ones.

Now, let's talk about the first real standout. Saturday the 12th of September. The morning session is where it's at. We're looking at a 4ft swell out of the SW with a super long 15-second period, giving us a good energy reading of 1349. But the winner here is the wind – it's dead glassy. That's a major positive. This is the kind of morning where it all links up nicely. This is a solid intermediate option, but keep in mind, the long period will see it wrapping around points and reefs better than a straight beachie.

The following week gets interesting, but also serious. We have a window of very good conditions on Monday the 14th with a light offshore NNE breeze and a 7ft short-period SE swell (1118 energy) – clean and punchy. That’s a good one for the more experienced crew.

But hold on, because from Wednesday the 16th of September, the ocean is going to turn on. We're seeing a massive groundswell from the SW, with heights pushing 12ft to 13ft and energy readings going through the roof – 7070 and 8578. The period is a very long 17-18 seconds. This is expert territory only. The waves will be huge and powerful, but the cross-onshore wind will make it a messy, dangerous beast. Honestly, at that size with those winds, this setup looks more like a kite surfer's playground than a paddle surfer's dream.

The sea stays pumped up for the rest of the week, hovering between 7ft and 12ft, with a mix of onshore and cross winds making for challenging conditions. There's a moment of respite on Sunday the 20th with a cleaner 5ft SW swell, but the onshore wind is back. The big stuff returns again on Tuesday the 22nd with another 12ft SW swell, but with easterly winds up to 16 mph, it's another day for the experts or the kite crew.

So, the pick of the whole outlook is Saturday the 12th morning for that glassy, long-period swell. The next best is Monday the 14th for clean, offshore conditions on a punchy short-period swell. Just be ready for that massive pulse mid-month that's only for the brave.

Rusty.

Read more