38 Line Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Righto, let’s have a look what’s on the cards for 38 Line over the next couple of weeks.

Straight off the bat, I gotta be honest with you – the start of this run is a bit of a flat patch. We’re looking at a few days of tiny, messy leftovers with poor conditions. From Sunday the 13th through to Monday morning the 14th, we’re talking ankle-snappers around 1 foot from the ESE with a short, weak period of just 4 seconds. The combined energy is next to nothing (4). About the only positive is a bit of glassy, offshore wind making the surface tidy, but there’s just no push.

Things stay pretty ordinary until late in the first week. The water temp is sitting at 75°, which is a touch warmer than usual for this time of year. That’s nice if you’re having a paddle, but it doesn’t help the waves.

There’s a small bump on Tuesday morning the 15th with 3 feet from the ENE and a 6-second period. It’s glassy again, but the energy is still weak (80). That’s the best of a bad bunch for a few days, but it’s nothing to write home about.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. The real standout window arrives on Saturday the 19th of September. We see a jump in size to 6 feet from the ENE, with a period creeping up to 7 seconds. The combined energy shoots up to (558) – that’s a proper kick. It’s a cross-onshore wind though, so the surface is going to be choppy and a bit bumpy. This one’s marginal, but if you’re a stronger paddler, the morning session will have some grunt. It’s getting into intermediate territory at 6 feet.

The best bet of the whole period, without a doubt, is Sunday morning the 20th of September. We’ve got 5 feet of groundswell from the NE with an 8-second period, and the wind is a light cross-offshore breeze. That’s clean. The energy is strong (268), and the word is “expect good surf conditions.” This is the one to circle. Crowds at 38 Line are never an issue, so you should have plenty of room.

After that, it fades back down. Monday the 21st has a glassy 3 feet, but it’s ordinary. Then we hit a bit of a windy, choppy stretch mid-week.

Looking further out, there’s another pulse on Saturday the 26th of September. The morning has 6 feet from the NE with an 8-second period and glassy conditions – dead calm wind. That’s a solid, clean swell and the energy is big (489). This one is pushing into expert territory though, especially if it’s a bit dumpy. Long-period groundswell like this can break straight on a beach break, so watch for that. It’s a promising call for the second week, but still a week and a half away, so keep an eye on it.

Summing it up: The first week is mostly weak and flat. The standout is Sunday morning, 20th September – that’s your best bet for clean, fun waves without the crowds. The Saturday the 26th has potential for something bigger, but it’s a long-range call.

Rusty.

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