The Inlet and Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for The Inlet and Pier over the next couple of weeks.

First off, I gotta be straight with you—this is a tough stretch to start. We’re looking at some really quiet, weak conditions for the better part of the next week and a half. The water is sitting at 79°F, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year. That’s a bit of a trippy feeling paddling out, like summer’s hanging on too long.

The first ten days or so are pretty much a write-off for any proper surf. We’ve got tiny swells, mostly around 0.7ft to 1ft, with short periods and next to no energy—the combined swell energy barely cracks 59 at its best early on. There’s a lot of cross-shore and onshore wind throwing little ripples across the surface. It’s all getting labelled “poor surf conditions,” and I can’t argue with that. The morning of August 28 might give you a clean 2ft waves from the ESE at 8 seconds, but it’s still pretty weak. By the end of August, we get a glassy morning on August 31 with a 0.7ft swell but a very long 18-second period—energy’s still only 35 though, so it’s not doing much.

Then we roll into the first week of September, and things finally start to wake up. On September 3, Thursday afternoon, we’ve got a jump in energy to 598, with a clean 3ft swell from the ESE at a solid 13 seconds. The wind is light offshore from the WNW, so it’s gonna be glassy. That’s the first standout window—a real chance for some fun, lined-up waves at The Inlet and Pier. It’s a very consistent spot, so if there’s swell, it’ll handle it, but keep in mind it’s exposed to NE swell and this is coming from the ESE, which isn’t its absolute optimum direction. Still, clean and three foot of swell? I’d be out there.

September 5 is another potential highlight, especially the afternoon. We’re looking at 5ft from the ENE at a short 8 seconds, but the combined energy is 519—moderate to strong—and the wind goes glassy. That’s clean, punchy little beach waves. It might be a touch too big for total beginners at that size, but it’s well within the fun zone for everyone else.

After that, the swell stays around the 3ft to 5ft mark through to September 7 Monday morning, with some clean offshore winds from the west. The energy starts to drop off, but there’s still a few surfable windows. The final Monday afternoon shows 5ft from the east but with a sloppy 6-second period and cross-off wind, so it’s not going to hold together great.

Overall, the standout is Thursday September 3 afternoon for clean, glassy, chest-high waves, and Saturday September 5 afternoon as a close second for clean, punchy shoulder-high stuff. Don’t expect much before that—just a waiting game.

Rusty.

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