Turtles Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a hard look at the next couple of weeks. We’ve got one spot on the radar, and it’s a bit of a mixed bag. There’s a solid stretch of swell coming, but the wind is going to be the main character in this story, and it’s not always a friendly one.

We’re looking at Turtles, a reef setup that’s exposed and picks up a lot of energy. The water temp is sitting at 71°, which is pretty normal for this time of year, so you won’t need a thick suit.

The first few days are a bit of a tease. We’ve got a strong, long-period SW groundswell rolling in, with the combined energy hitting a solid 2484 (moderate wave energy) on Tuesday the 8th. The swell is hanging around 8ft from the SW, but the wind is a fresh cross-off from the SE at 22 mph. It’s clean, but that wind is strong, making it a battle. Not the best call for a relaxing session.

Wednesday the 9th is a little better. The swell drops to 7ft, still SW, and the morning wind goes light offshore from the ESE at 19 mph. That’s a “fresh offshore and clean” situation, which is always a good sign. The reef should be shaping up nicely, but the energy is still high at 2173. It’s a solid, powerful wave.

The real standout, the one you’ve been waiting for, is Thursday morning, September 10th. This is the pick of the forecast. The swell drops to a manageable 6ft from the WSW, but the period is still a juicy 15 seconds. The magic is in the wind: a light offshore breeze from the ENE at only 6 mph. Glassy conditions, beautiful lines. The combined energy is 1399 (moderate wave energy), meaning it’s powerful but not intimidating. This is the kind of morning that makes you forget about work. For experienced surfers, this is a four-star session. The late afternoon turns onshore, so get your fill early.

After that, things get messy. From Thursday afternoon through the weekend, the wind swings around. Friday the 11th is a write-off with onshore wind and a dropping swell. Saturday the 12th has some size (7ft), but the wind is onshore again, making it lumpy. Sunday the 13th is cross-shore, but the wind is picking up, creating chop.

The following week is a tale of two halves. From Monday the 14th to Thursday the 17th, the swell stays in the 5ft to 7ft range, but the wind is predominantly cross or cross-onshore from the SSW, often fresh to strong. It’s going to be choppy and lumpy. Not a great run for the paddle surfer.

Then, a glimmer of hope. Friday the 18th morning brings a clean session with a cross-off wind from the S at 16 mph, and the swell is 5ft from the SW. The energy is 1469. It’s clean, but not a standout.

Saturday the 19th morning is similar, with a clean cross-off and 6ft from the WSW. The energy is 1371. Again, a decent morning window.

The real long-range promise comes on Monday, September 21st. The morning looks like a dud with a tiny 3ft swell, but the afternoon is a monster. A 7ft SW swell with a very long period of 17 seconds hits, and the combined energy is a massive 3316 (strong wave energy). The problem? The wind is a fresh cross-onshore from the SW at 19 mph. It’s going to be a lumpy, challenging beast. This is for experts only, and even then, it’s a battle. The conditions are described as “poor.”

The last big hope is Wednesday, September 23rd morning. The combined energy is 3897 (strong wave energy). The swell is 6ft from the WSW with a very long 17-second period. The wind is a gentle cross-off from the SSE at 9 mph. This is a clean, powerful setup. The reef at Turtles should be handling this long-period groundswell well, offering some deep, grinding waves. This is a promising call, but being ten days out, keep an eye on the updates.

Bottom line: The best bet is this Thursday morning, September 10th. Light offshore wind, clean 6ft groundswell. For the long-range, keep your eye on Wednesday the 23rd morning. The rest of the window is a lot of wind and chop, with a few clean windows that are worth a look but not a mad dash.

Rusty.

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