The Island Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, time for a look at the upcoming surf at The Island.

We’ve got a solid run of swell on the cards, but it’s a mixed bag with the wind, so you’ve got to pick your moments. The real standout window is shaping up for mid-to-late next week with some serious groundswell and clean conditions.

First up, this Wednesday the 9th is a no-go. We’ve got a solid 8ft SW groundswell (19s period) piling in with a massive 4790 units of energy, but that strong SE wind is trashing it. It’s big, it’s mean, and it’s not clean. Not worth a paddle.

Thursday the 10th looks better. The swell drops a touch to 6ft from the SW (16s period) with 1838 energy, and we get a morning offshore from the East – fresh breeze but clean. That’s a decent window, though still a bit on the bigger side for beginners. The Island handles it well, but it’s one for the experienced crew.

Friday the 11th has a real gem. After a clean but smaller morning, the afternoon goes glassy – absolute zero wind – with a 4ft SW groundswell (16s). That’s the kind of session where you feel like you own the ocean. Clean, long-period lines rolling in. It’s smaller, so everyone gets a go, but keep an eye out for crowds, this spot does see a few.

The weekend is pretty disappointing. Saturday and Sunday see the swell drop right off to around 4ft, and the wind shifts onshore or cross-shore. It’s messy and not worth the effort.

We get a little pulse on Monday the 14th but it’s tiny at 3ft. Tuesday the 15th picks back up to 6ft with a moderate offshore from the ESE, clean and rideable, but nothing spectacular.

Now, the big one. Wednesday the 16th September is the standout. We’ve got a solid 6ft SW groundswell (16s), a light SE breeze keeping it clean, and a whopping 1855 units of energy. The water temp anomaly is about average for this time of year, so no surprises in the water temp. This is excellent surf but for experienced surfers – that size on a reef demands respect.

The following Sunday, the 20th of September, is another real contender. After a clean morning with 5ft surf, the afternoon goes glassy again with a 6ft SW groundswell (14s) and 1459 energy. That’s another session where you just want to be out there, soaking it in. The Island loves long-period SW swell like this.

The first few days of the following week get blown out by strong westerlies and a big 8ft swell – that’s kite-surfing territory, not paddle. But then look at the 23rd of September, Wednesday morning. An 8ft SW groundswell (17s) with a light offshore from the ENE and clean conditions. 3727 units of energy. That is a beast of a swell for experts only – very long period, big, powerful. The Island will be firing, but you’d better know what you’re doing. The energy reading is massive.

So, to sum it up: Friday afternoon the 11th is your best bet for a fun, clean session for the average surfer. For the big dog session, mark your calendar for Wednesday the 16th and especially Wednesday the 23rd – those are the ones to get excited about, but they’re for experienced hands only.

Stay stoked,
Rusty.

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