The Pass Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, pass us a cup of tea, and I'll fill you in on what's shaping up at The Pass over the next couple of weeks.

It's a bit of a quiet start, then a late burst of real energy. We're looking at a long stretch of days where it's just not worth paddling out, with the first real suggestion of a wave not showing up until Friday the 4th. Even then, it's fairly ordinary until we get a proper window of opportunity.

The Short Version: The Long Wait

The first few days are a write-off. The surf is tiny, the wind is messy, and the energy is weak. We see combined swell energy as low as 89. It's a classic case of window shopping at low tide – nothing to get excited about. You get a sniff of something on Friday morning the 4th, with a clean 2ft wave from the NNE, but it's small and the wind, though cross-off, is light. The combined energy only reaches 112, so it's surfable but not memorable.

This pattern of small, ordinary waves continues right through until the middle of the following week. The wind does go offshore on Sunday the 6th afternoon, with a clean 3ft wave from the NNE, but the size is still modest. Even the glassy conditions on the morning of the 7th can't hide the fact that the swell is only 2ft. It's a frustrating run of days.

The Runner-Up: A Glimmer of Hope

Then, on the morning of the 11th of September, things start to change. The wind is a clean cross-off, and we see a 4ft swell from the SSE. The real story is the combined energy – it jumps to 1,340, which is a serious amount of juice. The period is a very long 16 seconds, which is a proper groundswell. This is a solid, clean wave, but it's not the standout. The real pay-off is that afternoon.

The Standout: Friday Afternoon, 11th September

This is the one. The Friday afternoon session at The Pass is going to be the highlight of the whole forecast. The wind turns offshore, blowing clean at 15 mph. The swell is a solid 7ft from the SSE, and the combined energy is a massive 1,952. The period is a very long 15 seconds. This is a powerful, deep ocean groundswell delivering clean, well-shaped lines. The water is a normal 69°F for this time of year, nothing unusual there. Now, this is a serious size – over 8ft – so this is expert territory only. It's not one for the beginners, but for the crew who know what they're doing, this is a proper session. The Pass is a long-running point, and a long-period SSE swell like this will wrap in beautifully, giving clean, long rides. Just be aware that with crowds described as "often", you'll have company, but for a wave this good, it's worth it.

Into the Next Week

The weekend after the big swell sees the energy drop but still offers clean, surfable waves. Saturday the 12th has a 5ft swell from the SSE in the morning, with a light offshore wind and combined energy of 572. It's a good follow-up day. The following week looks like it goes back to the same small, messy conditions we saw at the start of the forecast. The combined energy drops back into the double digits and low hundreds, and the wind is mostly cross-on. It's a classic case of wait and see.

So, set your alarm for the afternoon of the 11th. That's the session to chase.

Rusty.

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