The Patch Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into what’s happening at The Patch.

Honestly, the next week and a half is a bit of a grind. There’s a lot of marginal surf on the cards, but a couple of mornings in the back half of the forecast look like they’ll be worth a paddle.

We kick off this Sunday, September 13th, with tiny clean lines. The swell is a weak 2ft from the southwest, with a long period of 13 seconds. The water temperature is sitting at 63°, which is 4° warmer than normal, so it’s noticeably warmer than usual for this time of year. The wind is a moderate cross-offshore breeze, but the wave energy is weak (162) and it’s just too small to get excited about.

We’ve got a bit more size from Monday the 14th through Wednesday the 16th, with the swell jumping to 5ft on Monday and Tuesday, coming from the WNW. The period drops to a short 8-9 seconds though, and while the combined energy picks up into the moderate range (483 on Monday morning), the quality is only marginal. The wind is a bit messy, mixing cross and cross-off, and these conditions aren't doing the break any favours. The surf is just too short-period and junky to get stoked on.

Things settle down from Thursday the 17th onwards, with the swell dropping back under 3ft. The period stretches out again, hitting a very long 19 seconds by Friday the 18th, but the height is only 2ft. That’s a groundswell with a ton of energy for its size, but it’s likely to be too straight for The Patch, being a beach break.

Now, the real highlight of the whole outlook lands on Monday the 21st of September. It’s not a huge swell, but it’s the best we’ve got. The morning shows a 3ft south-west swell with a long 17-second period and combined energy climbing into a solid moderate range (528). The wind is light and variable, practically glassy, with just a slight air. This will be the cleanest the lineup gets for a while, with small, long-period lines. The Patch is fairly consistent, so there should be a few to pick from. Expect the usual sometimes crowds if you head out then.

After that, it gets messy again with onshore winds until Thursday the 24th. The next little glimmer pops up on Friday the 25th of September. The morning brings a 3ft WNW swell, period up to 11 seconds, and a clean cross-offshore breeze. Conditions look good, but the energy is only moderate (389). It’s rideable and clean, but not a standout.

The final standout of the forecast is Sunday the 27th of September. The morning is an absolute gem for conditions: a 3ft WNW swell, 9-second period, and glassy conditions with a slight air from the SSE. The combined energy is moderate (290). For a morning surf, you won’t find much better in this outlook. It won’t be huge, but it’ll be clean and fun.

Remember, anything over 5ft can be a handful for beginners, but nothing here gets above that, so all skill levels can have a crack on the better days. The long-period swells are better for points or reefs, so on those days, don't expect the world at this beach break.

Rusty.

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