Udo Shrine Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here, and I’ve been staring at the charts for our stretch of coast, and to be honest, it’s a bit of a tale of two fortnights. The first week is pretty much a write-off for any decent paddle. We’ve got a lot of days where the wind is just junk – cross-onshore, onshore, and lumpy – and the swell is either tiny or all over the place. It’s one of those stretches where you’d be better off waxing the board just to keep it company, not for actual use. There is a solid gap there with nothing for you.

Things start to stir a little a week from now. On September 15th, Tuesday morning, it goes glassy, with a light NNW breeze, and we get a small 4ft swell from the ESE at 9 seconds. The energy is still weak (362), but it’s clean. That’s your first chance to get wet, but keep your expectations on the ground. September 16th is similar, with a glassy morning and 3ft from the ESE.

Now, the real standout in the long-range is on Sunday, September 20th. We get a proper groundswell filling in, with a clean 4ft from the SE at a solid 15 seconds. The energy jumps up (721), and we’ve got a light SW cross-offshore wind. That’s the kind of combo that makes Udo Shrine (the reef here) start to talk. It’s inconsistent, so be patient, but the quality will be there.

Monday, September 21st is the pick of the whole run. The swell builds to a bigger 4ft in the morning, pushing to 6ft in the afternoon, still from the SSE with a 14-second period, and the energy is strong (1017-1155). We’ve got offshores—SW to SW—and it’s clean. This is serious, proper surf. The water’s warm, at 83°, which is pretty much spot-on for the time of year, a normal 0.2° anomaly. This is the day to clear your calendar. The only caveat is this place is a reef, and with a period over 15 seconds, it can be a bit straight at beach breaks, but on a reef, it’s going to be groomed.

After that, get ready for a jump in size. By the 22nd, it’s getting bigger and less clean, and then on the 23rd, we’ve got a serious amount of water moving. 13ft to 15ft from the SSE with a 17-second period is a lot of ocean. Energy is massive (8747-11719), but it’s cross-on and messy. That’s not for the faint-hearted and certainly not for the beginners. If you’re not a expert, stay well away. And on the 24th, it’s just too much—28ft of swell (33645 energy). That’s just a washing machine. It’s way over 8ft, so that’s expert-only, and even then, it’s likely closing out and dangerous. Honestly, the setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing that day.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a wash. Get your fix on the 15th and 16th if you’re desperate. But the true standouts are the 20th and especially the 21st of September. Those are the days that will make you remember why we do this. It’s promising, but remember the long-range call is less certain. As for the 23rd and 24th, it’s a full-on mega-swell event that you should be watching with respect from the cliff, not from the lineup.

Rusty out.

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