Tubes Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s happening at Tubes.

We’ve got a solid run of surf coming in, but it’s a bit of a mixed bag with the wind. The first few days are looking really good, but then things get a bit messy before a quieter spell, and then a late window of opportunity.

The action starts on Monday, August 31st. The water is sitting at 61° which is a whopping 5° colder than normal for this time of year, so you’ll want a good thick wetsuit. The afternoon sees a clean 6ft swell from the WSW with a 12-second period, giving it some proper shape. Combined energy is moderate (830) and with a light SSE breeze it’s cross-off, which should keep the faces clean. It’s a solid start.

Things really ramp up on Tuesday, September 1st. The morning is the pick of the bunch. We’re looking at a 8ft SW groundswell, period holding at 12 seconds, and the combined energy jumps up to 1488 – that’s moderate but packing a punch. Winds are a slight SSE air, barely a breath, making it glassy. This is the standout. The afternoon pushes up to 8ft, energy hits 2077, and it’s still clean with a light breeze. Heavier, but still very good for experienced surfers.

Wednesday, September 2nd, is the peak of the swell. The morning is a beauty for the crew who can handle it: 10ft of SW groundswell with a 13-second period. The energy is strong at 3581, and the wind is light offshore from the SW. That’s the dream ticket for a reef and point break like Tubes. Pure, powerful lines. The afternoon drops a little in quality as the wind swings ESE and gets a bit stronger.

The swell starts to drop from Thursday, September 3rd, but the morning still offers a clean 8ft SW swell with light winds. From Thursday afternoon through to the end of the weekend, the wind turns onshore from the east and picks up, making things choppy and messy. The swell sticks around but the quality drops right out. There’s a big pulse of energy on Sunday, September 6th, with a 10ft SSW swell and a very long 18-second period (energy a massive 6328), but the wind is howling onshore. This setup is more interesting for the kite surfers than paddle surfers, as the wave quality will be poor.

We then hit a flat spell. From Monday, September 7th, through to Wednesday, September 10th, the swell drops to barely a ripple. There’s a gap of about four days with nothing worth paddling out for.

The surf wakes up again on Thursday, September 10th. It’s small, with a 2ft to 3ft SW groundswell, but the wind is clean and offshore. Surprising little window.

Friday, September 11th, is the next proper call. The morning brings back a clean 6ft SW swell with a 11-second period and light cross-off winds. The energy is moderate (835). It’s a return to good, clean conditions.

Saturday and Sunday, September 12th and 13th, see the onshore winds return, making it choppy and messy again. The surf is there but the quality is poor.

Then, a final bright spot. Monday, September 14th, has a clean 3ft SW swell. The morning has light offshore winds, and the afternoon is even better with a gentle offshore breeze. It’s not the size of the earlier days, but it will be clean and fun. Tuesday, September 15th, has a bigger 5ft SSW swell but the wind is howling offshore at 22 mph, making it an ugly, blown-out mess.

So, the standout is clear: the morning of Tuesday, September 1st. That’s your window. The swell is solid, the period is long, the energy is up, and the wind is almost glassy. Tubes will be working perfectly. The Wednesday morning (September 2nd) is also exceptional for the experts, with that big offshore swell. The later windows on Thursday the 10th and Monday the 14th are worth a look if you’re keen for a clean, smaller wave.

Rusty.

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