
Surf Forecasts:
The Island surf forecast from 16 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 17 Sep, 12AM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 15s period, SW swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 21 Sep, 6PM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 15s period, SW swell with 2,255 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 17 Sep, 12AM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 15s period with SW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for The Island this week:
The surf forecast for The Island over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Thursday (Sep 17) at 12AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.7m and 15s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 16s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at The Island in the next 16 days are 2.2m 15s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Sep 21) at 6PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.1m 5s period and expected on Wednesday (Sep 16) at 9PM.
| Wave Type | Time (ACST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 12AM (Thu 17th Sep) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 15s |
| Best Surf | 12AM (Thu 17th Sep) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 15s |
| Most Powerful | 6PM (Mon 21st Sep) | 7ft (2.2m) 15s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for The Island over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's get into it. We've got a bit of a tricky period ahead for The Island, a solid reef setup that takes a good SW groundswell. The opening few days have the size, but it's a real mixed bag with the wind.
Right off the bat, Wednesday the 16th and into Thursday the 17th, we're looking at a building swell. The Island is exposed and it's picking up a nice, long-period SW groundswell. Wednesday morning is where you want to be. The wave energy is strong at (1587) with 6ft of swell and a long 15-second period. More importantly, we've got a clean offshore wind out of the east. The water temp is sitting around 60°, which is pretty much spot on for this time of year, so nothing unusual there. This is a spot that can get a crowd, so keep that in mind. The swell is a bit over 5ft, so it's not really for beginners, but for the experienced surfer, the lineup will be organized.
The pattern then gets messy. From Friday the 18th, the wind swings around and pretty much ruins the fun through to the end of the weekend. Cross-shore and onshore winds, dropping swell, and lumpy conditions make it a write-off for the paddle surfer. For those that have kites, this might look more interesting.
We get a glimmer of hope on the 21st and 22nd. Another strong pulse of SW groundswell fills in on Monday the 21st, with wave energy cranking up to (2053) by the afternoon. That's a 7ft swell with a 16-second period. The wind is cross-off from the SSE, so it'll be clean enough but not perfect. A bit big and unruly for most, this is expert territory.
Tuesday the 22nd is the true standout of this forecast if you can score it right. The morning session is where it's at. The Island will see a solid 6ft of SW groundswell with a 15-second period, and importantly, the wind is back to a true offshore from the east. The wave energy is massive at (1678). This is a legit window of good, clean, powerful surf. Expect a few more people in the water though, as it'll be obvious.
After that, the second week gets spotty. The swell fades, and the winds get unreliable until the last couple of days. We see another potential pulse kicking in around the 26th, but it's still a week and a half out, so don't bet the farm on it. The afternoon of the 26th shows a clean 7ft SW groundswell (2568 energy) with cross-off winds, but we'll see if it holds. Similarly, on the 1st of October, there's a promising-looking clean SSE wind and a solid 6ft SW swell, but that's even further out and much less certain.
Keep your eyes on the next few days for the cleanest windows, especially Tuesday morning the 22nd.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 24°C on Fri afternoon, min 9°C on Wed morning). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SSE on Wed afternoon, calm by Fri afternoon). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 28°C on Sat afternoon, min 8°C on Mon night). Mainly fresh winds. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 16 | Thursday 17 | Friday 18 | Saturday 19 | Sunday 20 | Monday 21 | Tuesday 22 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 18 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 15 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
1568 | 1500 | 1306 | 726 | 478 | 241 | 385 | 309 | 241 | 142 | 106 | 150 | 427 | 631 | 658 | 1069 | 2028 | 1967 | 1654 | 1511 | 1216 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | cross-on | cross-off |
High Tide | 9:04PM0.00m | 10:53PM0.00m | 00:26AM0.00m | 1:55AM0.00m | 3:35AM0.00m | 5:35AM0.00m | |||||||||||||||
Low Tide | 10:01AM-0.00m | 11:41AM-0.00m | 1:10PM-0.00m | 2:43PM-0.00m | |||||||||||||||||
6:31 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | |
— | 6:24 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:25 | — | — | 6:27 | — | — | 6:27 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:29 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 13 | 14 | 12 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 20 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 28 | 28 | 16 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 17 | 17 | 21 |
Feels °C | 8 | 7 | 5 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 21 | 19 | 18 | 22 | 21 | 13 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 15 | 13 | 17 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 15 |
1568 | 1500 | 1306 | 726 | 478 | 241 | 385 | 309 | 241 | 142 | 106 | 93 | 427 | 631 | 658 | 1069 | 2028 | 1967 | 1654 | 1511 | 1216 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 16 | — | SSE 16 | — | S 14 | SW 16 | S 19 | NNW 3 | NW 4 | SW 20 | SW 18 | SW 18 | NW 5 | S 15 | — | SW 16 | — | SSE 15 | SSE 16 | SSE 18 | SSE 16 |
19 | — | 26 | — | 4 | 208 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 15 | 84 | 150 | 10 | 4 | — | 596 | — | 23 | 24 | 30 | 27 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | S 15 | — | S 13 | — | — | S 15 | SW 16 | — | SW 15 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | 17 | — | 3 | — | — | 4 | 40 | — | 33 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 4 | SSE 4 | ESE 5 | E 4 | — | — | N 4 | — | NNW 3 | N 4 | NNW 4 | N 3 | W 4 | — | SW 5 | S 16 | SSE 16 | SE 5 | E 5 | — | — |
6 | 13 | 44 | 12 | — | — | 9 | — | 1 | 12 | 5 | 8 | 7 | — | 32 | 5 | 25 | 41 | 21 | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 89 | 337 | 0 | 13 | 154 | 0 | 250 | 154 | 154 | 352 | 250 | 412 | 356 | 1075 | 337 | 337 | 1286 | 89 | 29 | 133 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Eyre Peninsula | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the The Island Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for The Island provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at The Island can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our The Island surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (The Island) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).
Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for The Island may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.
Are you planning a holiday in Eyre Peninsula? If you are looking for accommodation near The Island, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Eyre Peninsula, consider staying in Thevenard which is 111 km (69 miles) away.










