The Island Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it. The Island is the only game in town for this whole 16-day stretch, and it’s a bit of a mixed bag. We’re looking at a solid run of clean, mid-period SW groundswell, but a lot of it gets blown out by strong winds. The water temp is sitting at 60°, which is spot on average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The first few days are a write-off. Friday afternoon through Saturday is a mess with strong cross-onshore winds and lumpy, poor surf, so don’t even bother. The swell is there, up to 8ft, but it’s just not rideable.

Then we get a window. Sunday morning, September 6th, is the first real standout. We’ve got a clean 7ft SW groundswell with a 14-second period, and here’s the kicker: light ESE offshore winds at just 3 mph. The combined wave energy is moderate (2144), and the conditions are, well, excellent for experienced surfers. This is a reef break, so that long period is going to line up nicely. If you’re up for it, this is the session to target.

Sunday afternoon drops off a bit in size to 6ft, but it’s still clean. Monday the 7th stays clean with offshore winds, but the swell drops to 3-4ft, so it’s smaller but still fun. By Tuesday morning, September 8th, we get another highlight. The wind goes completely glassy, and the swell jumps back to 6ft with a very long 17-second period. The combined energy is strong (1801), and it’s described as excellent for experienced surfers. This is a serious groundswell, so the Island’s reef setup will be handling it beautifully.

Wednesday the 9th is a no-go. The swell is still pumping (7ft to 8ft, 17-18 second periods, combined energy through the roof at 4219), but the wind is howling at 28 mph from the SE, making it cross-off and messy. It’s more of a kite-surfing day than a paddle-surfing day.

The following week, from the 10th to the 16th, is a bit of a waiting game. The swell stays in the 2ft to 5ft range with mostly clean conditions, but the winds are often fresh or strong, so the quality is marginal. The best of that stretch is probably Thursday morning, September 10th, with a clean 7ft swell and fresh offshore winds, and then Wednesday morning, September 16th, with a clean 5ft and offshore winds. But nothing is firing like that Sunday or Tuesday.

Now, for the long-range. September 18th (Friday) is the other big one to circle on your calendar. We’re looking at a 10ft SW swell on the morning (combined energy 2757) and a solid 8ft on the afternoon, both with a 13-second period. The afternoon session has light 6 mph winds, and it’s rated excellent for experienced surfers. That’s a big swell, so it’s experts-only, but it could be a proper end-of-season score. The Saturday after that, September 19th, still has size (8ft) but cross-on winds will chop it up a bit.

So, to wrap it up: your standouts are first thing Sunday morning, September 6th, and Tuesday morning, September 8th. If you’re looking further ahead, keep an eye on Friday, September 18th, but that’s a long way off and less certain. The crowds are ‘sometimes’ an issue at The Island, so you might have some company on those good days.

Rusty.

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