The Wharf Lefts Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming up for The Wharf Lefts.

The opening stretch is a bit of a mixed bag. We have a little swell running from Saturday the 5th through Monday the 7th, but it’s not a green light. The best of this early period is Saturday morning, the 5th, with a 5ft SSW swell, a 12-second period, and a clean cross-off breeze from the ENE. The water is a warm 80.4°, right on the money for this time of year. The combined energy is moderate (1087). It’s a reef setup, so it handles the direction well, but the crowds are possible here. The waves are clean, but the overall quality is just okay – not great, not bad.

Saturday afternoon drops a little and the swell energy halves (546). Sunday the 6th and Monday the 7th are similar – clean but marginal. The swell sticks around 4ft to 6ft, with a long period (14 seconds) on Monday, which is a groundswell, but it’s still only a so-so call. The wind stays cross-off from the ENE or E, blowing at 15 mph, keeping things clean.

Then things go off the rails. Tuesday the 8th is a write-off. The wind swings to the S at 15 mph, blowing cross-on, and the swell jumps to 8ft. That’s too big for beginners and the conditions are choppy and poor. The combined energy is strong (2263), but it’s a mess. The rest of that week and into the next is a flat spell. From Wednesday the 9th through to Sunday the 14th, the swell drops to 1.5ft to 3ft, with very long periods (up to 23 seconds) but hardly any energy. The combined energy dips as low as 54 (weak). The wind is clean, but there’s nothing to ride. That’s a solid week of no surf.

Things start to creep back around the 15th of September. Tuesday morning and afternoon show a 2ft SSW swell, with a very long period of 21 seconds. The energy is moderate (425). The wind is a clean cross-off from the ENE at 12 mph. This is a tiny, long-period groundswell – it’ll be lining up but it’s really small. The same pattern holds through Wednesday and Thursday the 16th and 17th, with the swell building a touch to 2.5ft, periods around 16-18 seconds, and consistent clean conditions.

The standout in this whole outlook is the run from Friday the 18th through Saturday the 19th. On Friday the 18th, the morning shows 3.5ft from the SW, with a period of 18 seconds, and the wind is clean cross-off. The afternoon energy is moderate (716). Saturday the 19th holds 3ft from the SSW, with a 16-second period, and the same clean cross-off breeze. The water is still warm, and the conditions are clean. It’s not huge, but after that flat spell, it’s the best we’ve got. The crowds are possible, so get in early.

By Sunday the 20th, we’re dropping back to 3ft and the energy is down to 332. It’s still clean, but the pulse is fading.

Overall, this is a lengthy outlook with a big gap in the middle. The surf is clean when it’s here, but the size is modest. The best window is the 18th and 19th of September – that’s your only real chance for a decent session.

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