The Island Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it.

The first decent window opens up Tuesday 1st September, but it’s not going to be a classic. The Island is a consistent reef break and it’s exposed to SW swell, so it’s always got a pulse. We’ve got a solid 5ft SW swell rolling in, but that 15-second period is giving it a real long, groundswell feel. The direction is a match for the optimum, which is good, but the wind is a cross-on from the WSW at 9 mph, putting a bit of a chop on the face. The energy is strong (1465), but it’s a bit of a work-in-progress. The water is 60°, which is pretty normal for this time of year.

Wednesday morning looks a touch better. The swell has bumped up to 5ft from the SW, with a very long 16-second period. The wind has swung around to a W at 6 mph, coming straight onshore, which is a shame, but it’s light enough that it might not ruin it completely. Energy is still strong (1270). The rest of Wednesday and Thursday are messy with stronger onshore winds, so you’ll be battling the chop.

Friday morning, the 4th, sees the swell building to 7ft, 15 seconds, but the wind is a fresh cross-shore from the NNW at 19 mph, creating a lumpy cross-chop. The energy is cooking (2020), but the quality is poor. That’s a day for the windsurfers, not for a clean paddle.

The highlight of the whole forecast is Sunday 6th September. The swell drops back to a more manageable 4ft from the SW, still a solid 14-second period. The magic is the wind: a gentle offshore breeze from the E at 9 mph, cleaning the place right up. The energy is moderate (720), but that’s the trade-off for perfection. This is the one session to really lock in. Expect very good, clean conditions.

Monday 7th September morning, the swell drops further to 3ft, but the wind goes glassy, flat calm from the NNE at 3 mph. It’ll be small and gutless, but if you’ve got a log, it’ll be a beautiful, crowd-free slide.

Things get heavy and dangerous from Tuesday 8th onwards. The swell surges to 8ft, 17 seconds, with a strong cross-onshore wind at 28 mph. The energy is insane (3882), but the wind is howling. This is big, powerful, and messy. Wednesday the 9th is even bigger, with 10ft swell and near-gale force winds. This is expert-only territory, and even then, it’s blown out. Strong cross-shore wind and a massive 8ft swell on the 9th is not a pleasant paddle.

The surf stays sizable and chunky through the middle of the month. The wind is mostly cross-shore, which keeps it from being a total washout, but nothing is clean. The 11th and 12th offer a slight reprieve, with lighter winds and a 5ft to 7ft SW swell, but the cross-shore wind still puts a ripple on it.

The last week of the forecast is a bit of a bust. There’s a big gap of poor to flat conditions from the 13th through the 15th. The water is getting colder and the wind is onshore. Then on Wednesday 16th September, a new pulse of long-period SW groundswell hits, 7ft with a 19-second period. The wind is light and onshore, so it’s a marginal call, but the energy is massive (3228). Keep an eye on that one, but it’s a long way out and the wind is a question mark.

So, the pick of the bunch is absolutely Sunday 6th September. Get on it. The Island will be clean, classic, and because of the small-ish size, it won’t be too heavy for the average surfer. The Monday morning glass-off is a bonus for the longboarders.

Rusty.

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