The Island Surf Forecast and Surf Report

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

We’ve got one spot on the radar for this whole 16-day window: The Island. It’s a consistent reef break that’s exposed to a SW swell, and it really needs that direction to line up. The water temp is sitting pretty average for this time of year, so nothing wild there.

The forecast kicks off Thursday the 27th of August, but honestly, it’s a rough start. A fresh 19 mph cross-shore wind is messing things up, leaving the surf poor and lumpy. The combined swell energy is a moderate 754, but it’s not worth your time. The afternoon cleans up a little with a gentle breeze, but the wave energy jumps to a strong 1423, and it’s still only marginal. Not a great day to paddle out.

Friday the 28th brings a bit more size, with 6.0 feet of SW swell and a long 16-second period, but the wind is messy—cross-off in the morning with a moderate breeze, and cross-on in the afternoon. The energy is strong (1617 and 1229), but the conditions are just marginal. It’s a hard pass.

The first real glimmer of hope shows up Saturday the 29th. The morning is clean, with a light cross-off breeze from the NE and a manageable 3.6 feet of SW swell. The energy drops to a moderate 532, but the conditions are clean. It’s not huge, but it’s workable. The afternoon loses the plot with a cross-shore wind.

Sunday the 30th is a similar story—clean morning with a 2.0 feet SW swell, but the period is a very long 19 seconds. That’s groundswell, which tends to make waves break a bit straight at beach breaks, but on a reef like The Island, it can be fun. The energy is moderate (450). It’s a small, clean session.

Now, Monday the 31st is where things get interesting. The swell jumps to 6.0 feet from the SW with a 19-second period, and the energy is cranking at 2221—strong stuff. The morning wind is a moderate cross-off from the NNE, keeping it clean. This is a solid option for experienced surfers. The afternoon has a light cross-on breeze, so the morning is the pick.

Tuesday the 1st of September is a write-off. A fresh 22 mph cross-shore wind and lumpy chop make it poor. The energy is moderate (769) but not worth the hassle.

Then, Wednesday the 2nd of September is a standout. The morning is glassy—dead calm, 3 mph from the W—with a 4.3 feet SW swell and a 15-second period. The energy is moderate (737), but the conditions are clean as a whistle. That’s a fantastic morning session, but it’s not huge. The afternoon turns onshore and messy.

The next big run starts brewing around Friday the 4th of September. The morning has 6.2 feet of SW swell with a 14-second period and a strong energy of 1309. The wind is a gentle cross-shore, so it’s marginal but workable. The afternoon gets bigger—7.5 feet of SW swell, 15-second period, and energy of 2497. The wind is light cross-on, so it’s a bit messy, but the size is there.

Saturday the 5th keeps the size. Morning sees 6.0 feet of SW swell with a clean cross-off wind from the SE. The energy is strong at 1381. The afternoon bumps to 7.5 feet from the WSW, but the wind turns cross-shore and creates a chop. The morning is the better bet.

Now, the real heavy stuff comes in Sunday the 6th of September. The swell is 8.2 feet from the SW, with a 16-second period, and the energy is very strong (3351 and 3464). The wind is bad—cross-on in the morning, cross-shore in the afternoon—so conditions are poor. This is big, messy, and only for experts.

Monday the 7th of September is excellent. The wind is a light offshore from the ENE at just 3 mph, with a 7.5 feet SW swell and a 16-second period. The energy is 2935. The conditions are clean. This is a true standout for experienced surfers. The afternoon is also clean with a cross-off breeze and 8.2 feet of swell, but the direction shifts slightly to WSW.

Tuesday the 8th of September is the absolute best day on offer. The morning has 9.8 feet of SW swell, a 16-second period, and a very strong energy of 4084. The wind is a clean cross-off from the NE. The afternoon is glassy, with a 8.2 feet SW swell, a 17-second period, and energy of 4200. That’s a world-class window for experts. The waves will be powerful, long-period groundswell, so the reef will handle it beautifully.

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