Thompsons Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright mate, Rusty here. Let's get into it.

Alright mate, strap in. We're looking at Thompsons Bay for the next 16 days, and I gotta be straight with you – it's a tough stretch. The opener is rough, and we're waiting a full three days before anything even gets a nod of approval. The early window is just no good. Monday 14th through Wednesday 16th, we're battling a strong, messy cross-shore wind, and that swell is shot through with junk. A solid 12 ft on Monday afternoon (1848 combined energy) sounds punchy, but the north-easterly near-gale ripping across it makes it an absolute chore, not a joy. Kite surfers might be having a field day, but for a paddle surfer, it's a write-off.

Now, Thursday 17th is where things start to take a turn. Thursday afternoon, the stars line up. The wind drops to dead glassy – 0 mph - and we've got a clean 7 ft swell from the ESE. The energy jumps to a solid 1438, and with that glassy surface, this is hands-down the best session on offer. The water temp is sitting at 68°F, which is about 3°F colder than usual for this time of year – you'll feel that little bite. This is the standout window. It's a fairly consistent break, and with glassy conditions like that, you'd be a fool to miss it.

Friday 18th keeps the run going with a glassy morning, 8 ft from the SE (1126 energy). That's another belter of a session. The afternoon gets a bit of a cross-off breeze which cleans it up, but with 8 ft from the SE, it's still got plenty of push. The crowd factor at Thompsons Bay is "sometimes", so expect a few others with the same idea, but the quality on these two days will be worth the company.

The weekend takes a hit though. Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th, the north-easterly is back up, turning that solid 8-10 ft swell into lumpy, cross-shore chop. The energy is high (up to 1726 on Saturday), but it's just not gonna be clean. You could find a sneaky one if you're desperate, but the magic of Thursday and Friday is gone.

After that, it's a mixed bag of onshore and cross-shore winds right through to the end of the window. We get a big spike on Monday 21st afternoon with a 15 ft SSW swell packing a massive 4374 energy! That's serious juice, but the wind is a strong cross-shore, making it a proper washing machine. That's only for the brave or the very experienced. The following days see the swell drop off to the 3-6 ft range, but the wind keeps it bumpy and messy. The very last day, 29th September, shows a weak 4 ft from the E with a short period – not worth getting out of bed for.

So, to break it down: the first three days are a write-off. Your absolute best bet is Thursday 17th afternoon and Friday 18th morning. After that, conditions get tricky, and the end of the run is a slow fizzle. Get on it while the getting is good.

Stay salty,
Rusty

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