The Spit Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here again. Let's have a look at what's on the cards for the local stretch.

Well, I gotta be straight with you, the outlook for the next 16 days is a bit of a tough one. There's a lot of wind and a lot of messy conditions out there, so we're gonna have to pick our moments carefully. The Spit is the only game in town, and it's a consistent river break, usually handling a bit of swell, but it's been a tough run.

Looking at the start, the first real chance of anything even close to surfable is Sunday morning, the 6th of September. We've got a tiny 1 ft swell from the NNE, but it's a weak little thing with a short period of 6 seconds. The wind is a cross-offshore from the NNW at 12 mph, which is a positive, keeping the surface clean. But honestly, the wave energy is laughable at 46 (weak), and the wave comment says it's "poor surf conditions." It's not really worth getting wet for.

The afternoon picks up a bit. The swell bumps to 4 ft from the N, still with a poor period of 6 seconds. The wind drops to a light 6 mph cross-off, so the surface is clean. The energy jumps to 171 (moderate), and the word is "surfable waves but very ordinary conditions." It's a 1 out of 10, so it's a consolation prize at best. For a beginner, the 4 ft might be a bit much, but for the more experienced, it's a chance to get a few grovelly ones.

The rest of the first week and into the second is a write-off. Monday through to Saturday is a litany of onshore and cross-shore winds, mostly from the S and SE, with speeds from 9 mph up to 22 mph. The swell is small and weak, and the wave comments are all "poor surf conditions." The energy is low to moderate, peaking at 518 on Thursday afternoon, the 10th, with a 6 ft swell from the SE, but it's a short period (9 seconds) and the wind is a fresh cross-shore at 22 mph, making it a lumpy, choppy mess. That's more kite-surfing territory than paddle surfing.

Now, we get to the second week. There's a tiny glimmer on Sunday morning, the 13th of September. It's not great, but the swell is 4 ft from the SSE with a period of 9 seconds. The wind is a light cross-on from the ESE at 3 mph, so it's very light. The energy is 282 (moderate) and the comment is "marginal surf forecast." It's a 1 out of 10, so it's better than nothing, but you'd be scratching for waves.

The following Monday morning, the 14th, has a small 1 ft swell from the SE with a very long period of 11 seconds. The wind is a light cross-off from the NNW at 6 mph, so the surface is clean. The energy is only 49 (weak), and the comment is "surfable waves but very ordinary conditions." That long period means the waves will be slow and walled-up at a beach break, but The Spit is a river, so it could potentially line up a bit better. It's a 1 out of 10.

The rest of the period is a repeat of the same story: small, weak swells, and winds that are mostly cross or onshore. The only other notable window is a few mornings with cross-off winds from the NNW, like the 18th, 19th, and 21st of September, but the swell is tiny (1 ft to 2 ft) and the energy is weak. The water temperature is about average for the time of year, so nothing unusual there.

So, the best of a bad bunch? I'd have to say the afternoon of Sunday, the 6th of September. It's not a standout by any means, but it's the only time we get a clean surface with a bit of size. The 4 ft swell from the N with a light cross-off wind is the best offer on the table. You'll be sharing the water with others, as crowds are often at The Spit. It's a long shot, but it's all we've got.

For the rest, it's a long wait. The whole period is a bit of a bust, with only a few utterly marginal windows. It's a blank run for the most part, but that's the way it goes sometimes.

Rusty.

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