Tippers Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let’s break down what we’re working with for the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I gotta be honest with you – it’s a tough stretch. The opening days have some chest-high swell, but the wind is just not playing nice. We’re looking at a solid run of marginal surf and poor conditions, so don’t expect any magic straight away.

The best window we’ve got in the whole 16-day run is actually the very start. Sunday morning, September 6th at Tippers. It’s a reef break, very consistent, and it’s exposed to that SW swell. We’ve got a solid 6ft of south swell rolling in with a period of 14 seconds – that’s proper groundswell energy, and the combined energy is a meaty 1382 (moderate wave energy). The water is sitting at 72°, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year, so that’s a nice bonus. The catch? The wind is a cross-shore from the NNW at 9 mph, so it’s not glassy, but it’s manageable. It’s a beginner-friendly spot, but with that size, it’s going to be a bit much for total beginners. Since it’s a reef, that long-period swell will wrap in nicely. Crowds are sometimes a thing here, so you might have some company.

From Sunday afternoon things start to slide. The wind picks up to a fresh 22 mph from the north, cleaning things up a bit, but the swell drops to 5ft. Monday through Tuesday, the wind goes cross-onshore and the chop builds. The swell sticks around 5ft - 6ft, but it’s messy.

By Wednesday morning, September 9th, the swell bottoms out to just 2ft with a very long 16-second period, but the wind is onshore and strong. It’s just not worth getting wet.

The rest of the first week and into the second is a write-off for quality surf. The swell stays small, mostly under 3ft, and the wind is predominantly cross-onshore or onshore. From Thursday the 10th through to Monday the 21st, we see a constant run of swell heights between 1ft and 4ft, with periods that are all over the place. The combined energy drops to between 249 and 665, so it’s weak to low-moderate. There’s no standout session in that whole stretch.

The tail end of the forecast, Monday afternoon, September 21st, shows a slight glimmer. The swell bumps back up to 3ft from the SW with a 16-second period, and the wind finally goes light from the SSW at 6 mph, making it a light cross-onshore. It’s a marginal call, but it’s the best we’ve seen in a week.

So, the verdict: Sunday morning, September 6th is your best bet. Get on it early. After that, it’s a long, quiet spell. The forecast can change, but for now, it’s a waiting game.

Rusty.

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