The Wharf Surf Forecast and Surf Report

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

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – this 16-day window is a real struggle. The Wharf is a consistent reef setup that likes an S swell, and we’ve got some decent size and long-period energy coming through, but the wind is just absolutely wrecking it for days on end. The water temp is sitting at 81°, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The whole first week is a write-off. From Tuesday the 8th through to Monday the 14th, we’ve got onshore and cross-onshore winds from the east and southeast, mostly moderate breezes, and the surf quality is rated as poor. The swell is there – a solid 3 ft to 5 ft SW groundswell with long periods of 15 to 20 seconds, and the combined energy is moderate to strong (561 to 1398), but that wind is just tearing it up. It’s choppy and messy. Honestly, this looks more like a kite session than a paddle session.

Tuesday the 15th afternoon shows a glimmer of hope with a “marginal” tag, but it’s still onshore. The real standout, the only time this place looks even close to good, is on Friday the 18th. The morning starts a bit iffy with a risk of thunderstorms and a 12 mph N cross-offshore wind, but the afternoon – that’s where it’s at. The wind drops to a whisper at 3 mph from the north, still cross-offshore, and the swell is a clean 2 ft S groundswell at 13 seconds. The combined energy is moderate (370). The report says “expect good surf conditions,” and with that light wind, it’s gonna be glassy. That’s your window. It’s not huge, but for a reef break, that long period S swell with clean conditions will peel nicely.

After that, it’s back to the grind. Saturday the 19th brings a fresh cross-onshore breeze and a short-period 5 ft ESE swell – that’s just lumpy junk. The following week is more of the same: onshore winds and poor conditions. Even a 7 ft to 8 ft S swell on Tuesday the 22nd and Wednesday the 23rd is ruined by easterly winds. That size is getting into expert-only territory anyway, but it’s a shame it’s blown out.

So, the bottom line: if you can wait, the only real shot is Friday afternoon, the 18th of September. It’s a long way off, so don’t bank on it too hard, but that’s the one clean, glassy window in a sea of choppy nonsense. The rest of the month is a washout.

Rusty.

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