23 Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it.

We’ve only got one spot on the menu for this whole 16-day stretch: 23 Beach. And I gotta be straight with you – it’s a tough outlook. The swells are there at times, but the wind just won’t play ball for most of the period. There’s a long gap of poor-to-marginal conditions before we get a flicker of hope late in the run.

The first real surf on offer is Sunday morning, the 30th of August. We’ve got a 5ft swell from the NNW with a 9-second period, so it’s a middling combo swell with moderate energy (300). The wind is a light cross-shore from the NNE at 6 mph, which keeps things borderline. It’s not terrible, but the wave comment flags it as marginal. For a beginner-friendly beach break like this, that 5ft is about the right size, but the quality is just “okay.”

From Sunday afternoon all the way through to Saturday the 5th of September, it’s pretty grim. The wind goes cross-on or onshore, bumping up to 9-16 mph, and the swell stays in the 4ft to 7ft range but with short periods (7-8 seconds). That 7ft on Tuesday afternoon is too much for beginners and the onshore wind will make it a chop-fest. The combined energy climbs to 601 (strong) on that Tuesday, but it’s not surfable in a nice way. For the first week, you’re better off doing something else.

Then we hit a real dry spell. From the 4th of September through the morning of the 8th, the swell drops below 3ft and the energy falls to under 100 (weak). There’s almost nothing to ride. That’s a few days of flatness.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting – Sunday morning, the 6th of September. The swell direction swings to NNW, and the period jumps to a very long 13 seconds. That’s real groundswell energy. The combined energy is 308 (moderate), but the swell height is only 3ft. It ain’t big, but that long period will make for some surprisingly playful, lined-up waves, especially if you can find a bank. The wind is a light cross-shore from the NE at 6 mph, which is clean. This is the standout window, but keep in mind, for a beach break like this, a very long period can make the waves break a bit straight and fat. It’s not a slam dunk, but it’s the best we’ve got.

Wednesday morning, the 9th of September, offers another chance with a 5ft swell from the NNW at 8 seconds and a slight cross-on breeze from the NNW at 3 mph. It’s marginal again, but the wind is so light it might clean up. The energy is moderate (351).

After that, from the 10th of September onward, it’s back into the doldrums: small, onshore/choppy, and poor. The last window on Monday morning, the 14th of September, sees a 4ft NNW swell with a 9-second period and a 3 mph onshore breeze from the WNW (313 energy). It’s flagged as marginal, but with such light air, it could be glassy and fun. A real wildcard.

So, best bet? If you’re keen, aim for the morning of Sunday, 6th of September for that clean, long-period groundswell. It’s not big, but it’ll be the cleanest and most fun. The morning of Wednesday the 9th and Monday the 14th are worth a look as well if the tide lines up. Don’t get your hopes up for the first two weeks – it’s mostly a write-off.

Stay patient.

Rusty

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