The Spit Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ve gotta be straight with you—this 16-day stretch for The Spit is a tough one. The forecast is pretty bleak, with no real standouts to get excited about. We’ve got a long gap of poor conditions from now (11 September) all the way through, with only a brief flicker of hope near the middle of the second week, but even that’s marginal. If you’re desperate for a paddle, there’s literally one morning that might offer a glimpse of something, but don't hold your breath.

Alright, let’s start with the first recommendation we get, which is Friday morning, 11 September. The Spit is an exposed river mouth, and the swell is 7 ft from the SSE with a 9-second period. The combined swell energy is moderate at 966, but honestly the cross-shore wind is nasty, blowing at 12 mph from the south, and it’s putting a chop on the surface. The water temp is about average for this time of year at 69°, nothing unusual there. The setup is too big for this break anyway, so it’s a no-go for surf. The whole of Friday afternoon and all of Saturday and Sunday (12-13 September) are a write-off—small, weak swell with cross-onshore winds and choppy seas.

We slide into the next week, Monday 14 September right through to Friday 18 September, and it’s more of the same: tiny, gutless swell (2 ft to 2 ft) with periods of 6 seconds, and energy readings as low as 30. The wind is either cross-shore or cross-off, but it’s not making up for the lack of waves. A few mornings see clean conditions (like Tuesday 15 and Thursday 17), but the swell is pathetic. On Wednesday afternoon the 16th, a sudden jump to 7 ft from the SSE and 8-second period with 558 of energy arrives, but that’s locked into a strong 28 mph cross-shore wind—total mess, and the wave comment says “poor surf conditions” outright.

The only slight highlight in this whole stretch is Saturday morning, 19 September. We get a 4 ft swell from the ESE with a 10-second period (that’s a longer period, good shape potential, but it’s a SE swell direction, not the optimum E for The Spit). The combined energy is moderate at 516. The wind is a gentle 9 mph cross-onshore from the ESE, so it’s a bit choppy, but the wave comment says “marginal surf forecast or questionable tide conditions,” giving it a score of 1 out of 10. That’s the best on offer, but it’s still a “maybe” at best. The crowds at The Spit are often busy, so if you do go, you’ll have company, but the waves are so weak it’s unlikely to be crowded with surfers.

After that, from Sunday 20 September onwards, it’s back into the doldrums: tiny swells (1 ft to 3 ft) with weak energy (25 to 110), mostly cross-onshore or cross-shore winds, and the wave comment never gets above “poor surf conditions.” The second week (from about 21 September to the 26th) is uninspired—barely any size, and the wind is often fresh and messy.

So, bottom line: this is a blank run for The Spit. No standout sessions. The faintest flicker is Saturday morning 19 September, but it’s marginal. For a river mouth that’s usually consistent, this is a rough patch. Keep an eye on the forecasts, because it tends not to stay poor for long. Until then, maybe it’s time to clean the wax off your board and wait.

Rusty.

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