The Left Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, I’ve been staring at the charts for The Left and let me tell you, it’s a bit of a mixed bag coming our way. This is a classic point break setup, exposed to the NW, and it’s fairly consistent, but the wind and size are going to call the shots over the next couple of weeks.

First off, the water temp is sitting at 57°F, which is just about bang on for this time of year, nothing wild there.

We’re kicking off on Friday the 11th, but honestly, it’s a write-off. We’ve got a 7ft W swell but it’s short-period at 7 seconds and the cross-off wind is a solid 22 mph. The wave energy is weak, only 431, and the conditions are just poor. Not worth paddling out for. That rough stretch keeps going into Saturday the 12th – the swell jumps to 10ft and even 12ft with a 13-second period, but that’s way too big for most and the wind is howling. You’d need to be an expert and even then, with 25 mph cross winds, it’s a mess. Honestly, for the first few days, if you’re into kites, the beach setups might be more interesting than paddle surfing here.

Now, things start to turn around Sunday morning the 13th. That’s our first real glimmer. The swell drops to a manageable 6ft from the WNW, period stretches to 11 seconds, and the wind switches to a gentle 9 mph cross-off. The wave energy is moderate at 895, and the forecast calls for very good surf. This is clean, and it’s a good size for intermediates. This is a solid option.

Monday the 14th is looking like the true standout of the first week. The swell is a little smaller, around 4ft from the NNW, but the period is a nice long 12 seconds – proper groundswell – and we get offshore winds at 12 mph in the morning. That’s clean, glassy conditions for a point break. The wave energy is a moderate 567, but the quality will be high. Light rain in the afternoon but the wind stays light and cross-off. If you’ve got a window, Monday morning is the call.

We then hit a bit of a lull mid-week. Tuesday the 15th is a write-off with onshore winds and rain. Wednesday the 16th is marginal, with 5ft to 6ft swell but cross and cross-off winds keeping it a bit bumpy.

Then we get a big pulse of energy. Thursday the 17th and Friday the 18th see the swell jump back to 10ft to 12ft from the WNW, with periods up to 13 seconds. The combined energy is massive, over 4000 (4424 on Friday morning). But the wind is a strong breeze, cross-off or cross. This is big, powerful, and for experts only. The wave energy is extremely high, so be prepared for a washing machine. The conditions are marginal at best due to the wind strength.

The weekend of the 19th and 20th September looks much more promising. Saturday the 19th has a 7ft to 8ft W swell with moderate cross-off winds. Then Sunday the 20th is the best on offer for the whole forecast period. We’ve got a 5ft W swell, 10-second period, and clean offshore winds from the SSE all day. The wave energy is a moderate 550-578, and the forecast says “very good surf conditions.” It’s clean, manageable, and the crowd situation at The Left can be “sometimes” busy, but on a day like this, it’ll be worth it. That Sunday is the one to circle.

Into the second week, things hold some promise. Monday the 22nd and Tuesday the 23rd see 6ft to 7ft W swells with cross-off winds, but nothing that screams epic.

Then we get another big standout. Wednesday the 23rd of September – that’s over a week away, so keep an eye on it – shows 8ft W swell with a 12-second period and offshore winds from the S. The combined energy is 1617 (moderate-strong), and the forecast is for “excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers.” That’s the biggest quality call in the whole run, but the size (8ft) means it’s for the more advanced crew.

Thursday the 24th keeps the swell going at 7ft to 10ft, but the wind cranks up to 25 mph offshore. That makes for clean faces but extremely hard paddling.

After that, we trail off into the 25th and 26th with dropping swell and turning winds. The last few days are marginal.

So, to wrap it up: the first few days are a bust. Sunday the 13th is your first good session. Monday the 14th is a top pick for clean, offshore waves. But the absolute best of the bunch is Sunday the 20th September – clean offshore winds, fun-sized swell, and great conditions. Keep an eye on Wednesday the 23rd for a more powerful, expert-level session, but that’s a long-range call so don’t bank on it yet.

Stay stoked, and I’ll see you in the water.
Rusty.

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