The Pines Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, Rusty here, looking at your local stretch.

This is a tale of two fortnights. The first week or so is a bit of a write-off, frankly. A real patience tester. Then, that second week, the ocean gets its act together in a big way. There's a massive blank run to start, so don't bother waxing up just yet.

We're looking at The Pines for the whole stretch. It’s a sheltered little reef setup, which is a double-edged sword. It needs that swell to wrap in just right.

The first real sniff of action doesn't arrive until Monday the 31st of August. The morning is still messy with a 7ft SSW swell and a cross-breeze, but the afternoon... that's the first glimmer. The wind goes glassy, the swell bumps up to 8ft from the SSW with a very long 18-second period, and wave energy is solid (3375). For a spot that rarely breaks, this is encouraging. But the tide could be a factor, so it's marginal.

Tuesday the 1st of September is a write-off. Strong winds kill any quality.

Things get interesting from Wednesday the 2nd through Friday the 4th. We've got consistent 8ft to 8ft SSW swells with moderate energy (around the 2700-3000 mark), and the wind is a steady clean cross-offshore. The period stays long (14-17 seconds), which is perfect for this reef. It’s not epic, but for a spot that’s usually flat, it’s a solid run of clean, rideable waves. Crowds are a real possibility here, so get in early.

Now, the big news. From Saturday the 5th of September, the ocean goes nuts. You get a massive 12ft SSW swell (over 8ft, this is expert territory only). The wind is howling though, so Saturday and Sunday are blown-out chaos for a paddle surfer. This setup looks far more interesting for kite surfing.

But hold on. Monday the 8th of September is the absolute standout. The morning delivers a 21ft SSW monster swell (biggest of the forecast) with a monster 18-second period and extreme energy (26049). And the wind? Clean cross-off. That is a serious, serious window for expert surfers only at this reef. The afternoon stays big at 20ft. This is dangerous, powerful stuff, but it’s clean.

Things dial back a touch for Wednesday the 10th of September. The morning swell drops to a clean 13ft from the SSW with light offshore NW winds. It’s still well over 8ft, so still an expert’s game, but the conditions are described as excellent for experienced surfers. Very clean and punchy.

After that, the swell stays big but the winds get a bit chunky towards the end of the second week, with cross-shore breezes making things a bit choppy. The sheer size and energy (up to 9191 on the 12th) will still be there for the brave, but the polish is off.

Best on Offer: The absolute standout is the early session on Monday, September 8th. The combination of a huge, long-period SSW groundswell with clean, cross-offshore winds is as good as it gets here, but it is strictly for experts. For the best all-round day that isn't quite as terrifying, the glassy afternoon of Monday, August 31st is the pick, offering clean 8ft waves at a spot that usually doesn't do anything.

Water temp at The Pines is at 58°, which is basically normal for the time of year. Nothing unusual there.

Stay safe, and don’t get sucked out.

Rusty.

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