The Maze (Tiree) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here with a look at what’s headed our way. We’ve only got one spot on the radar for the next couple weeks, and it’s a bit of a mixed bag.

We’re looking at The Maze (Tiree). This exposed beach-and-point setup gets a good, consistent run of swell through the whole period, but the wind is going to be the dealbreaker for most of it. The water is currently sitting at 58°F, which is about 2°F warmer than usual for this time of year – a nice little anomaly that makes the wait for clean waves a bit more bearable.

The first few days are a write-off. From Saturday the 12th through to Tuesday the 15th, we’ve got strong winds – mostly cross or cross-onshore – with lumpy, choppy conditions. Swell is there, running around 4ft to 7ft from the WNW, but it’s all blown out and messy. The combined swell energy is moderate to strong (2185 on Saturday morning), but it doesn’t matter if the wind’s howling.

Wednesday the 16th is where it gets interesting. The morning is the standout of the first week. We’ve got glassy conditions – WSW wind at just 3 mph – with a solid 6ft swell from the west. The combined energy is a strong 792. That morning window is going to be clean. Don’t get too excited for the afternoon, though; the wind swings back to a strong cross-onshore and ruins it.

After that, we’re into a rougher patch. Thursday the 17th and Friday the 18th see the swell pumping up but with strong onshore winds. By Thursday afternoon, we’re looking at 12ft from the west with a combined energy of 4081, but with 28 mph onshore wind, that’s pure chaos – only for experts, and even then, it’s a chore. The weekend of the 19th and 20th is similar: big but blown out, with a 13ft to 15ft swell on Saturday clobbered by 28 mph winds.

There’s a long gap of messy, marginal days through the middle of the following week. The wind is still messy, with a lot of cross-shore and onshore action.

Then, about a week and a half out, on the morning of Saturday the 26th of September, we get another real standout. This one looks promising but is further out, so keep an eye on it. The forecast shows a beautiful ESE wind at just 3 mph (glass) , a solid 7ft swell from the WNW, but here’s the key – that period is a very long 15 seconds. That groundswell is going to have serious power and shape, and clean conditions. The combined swell energy is a strong 2258. At a point like The Maze, that long-period swell will wrap in nicely. Just remember, the crowds here are rated as "sometimes," so you might have some company for these clean, quality waves. This morning window is the pick of the entire forecast.

The run ends on Sunday the 27th with another huge, wind-lashed pulse of swell that’s not worth paddling for.

So, to sum it up: The first week is mostly a write-off except for Wednesday the 16th morning. The second week is a long wait for that Saturday the 26th morning window. That’s your two main windows – the rest is either too windy or too big and wild for a good paddle.

Rusty.

Read more