The Maze (Tiree) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here again. Let's talk about The Maze on Tiree, but in feet and miles per hour.

First off, I gotta be straight with you – the next week and a half is a real mixed bag. We’ve got plenty of swell energy coming through, no doubt about it, but the wind just won’t play ball for most of it. We’re looking at a long stretch of rough, blown-out conditions before a glimmer of hope shows up.

The forecast kicks off strong on Tuesday, September 8th. There’s a solid 13ft swell thumping in from the WNW, with heaps of energy behind it (3040). But don’t get excited – that’s coming with a nasty 34 mph cross-on wind. It’s a total mess, pure blown-out chaos. That pattern sticks around for days. Wednesday the 9th drops to a 5ft swell, but it’s still onshore and chopped. The energy is moderate (315). Thursday the 10th brings a bit more size at 5ft to 8ft, but the wind is howling near gale force, making it a kite-surfing show, not a paddle one.

The poor conditions drag on through the weekend and into the next week. Friday the 11th has a clean 7ft swell with offshore wind, but the wave comment says “poor surf conditions” – likely the shape is off. The energy is solid (797). The real kicker is Saturday the 12th: a 8ft WNW swell with a long 13-second period (energy 1991). That’s proper groundswell, but it’s getting torn apart by near gale cross-shore and cross-on winds. It’s a shame, because that long period would be a dream at a point or reef, but with those winds, it’s a write-off.

There’s a gap of a few days here where you’re not getting anything clean. The conditions finally start to look a little more promising on Thursday the 17th. The swell drops to a clean 5ft from the W with a 7-second period and only a 3 mph offshore wind. The energy is low (217), and it’s only a “marginal” call, but at least it’s not a total loss. The wind is slight, so it might be worth a look if you’re desperate.

The standout – and the only one worth getting excited about – is Monday the 21st. The Maze pumps out a massive 10ft swell from the W with a very long 15-second period. That’s a serious groundswell, packing 4240 units of energy. Now, this is a big one – over 8ft, so it’s for experts only. Also, with that long period, it might break a bit too straight for a beach setup, but The Maze is a beach and point. The point should handle it nicely. The wind is onshore from the W at 12 mph, which is a moderate breeze. It’s not perfect, but the wave comment says “unknown,” which means it might just be clean enough to handle if the wind stays light. For a 16-day forecast, this is promising but not a sure thing. Watch the forecasts closely.

The water temperature here is about average for the time of year, nothing unusual. And remember, The Maze (Tiree) is fairly consistent, so even though this run looks rough, it tends not to stay poor for long. Forecasts can change.

For the rest of the second week, Tuesday the 22nd and Wednesday the 23rd fade out with dropping swell and fresh cross-on winds. Nothing to write home about.

So, bottom line: sit tight through the first week of gales. If you’re an expert and you want a big, powerful, long-period groundswell, keep your eyes on Monday the 21st. It’s the only real standout.

Rusty.

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