Vetchs Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, this is Rusty.

We got a real mixed bag on our hands. Vetchs Reef is our only game in town for this 16-day stretch, and honestly, it’s a spot that rarely breaks, so we’re already on the back foot. The next week and a half is mostly a write-off with a lot of junk wind and messy conditions. The big moment, if you can wait, lands on that Saturday the 19th. You’ll have to sit through a lot of average days to get there, and even then, it's a reef break that's picky about when it fires.

We start off this Tuesday afternoon the 15th with a 7 ft swell from the East, period at 9 seconds. The combined energy is moderate (685), but the wind is a light cross from the South, making it marginal. Wednesday the 16th is similar, with a 6 ft Easterly swell but cross-onshore wind, and then a strong Southerly blow in the afternoon that kills it completely. Thursday through Friday morning the 17th and 18th is a mess of rain and strong cross-shore winds, with swell dropping and jumping around—Friday afternoon showing a chunky 12 ft from the SE, but that's packing fresh cross-winds and heavy rain, so it’s a total no-go.

Alright, now for the real standout. Saturday the 19th of September, we finally catch a break. The morning is the only time to be in the water. The wind goes absolutely glassy—calm, zero wind. The swell is a powerful 8 ft from the ESE with a 9-second period, and the energy is strong at (1238). That’s a solid, punchy groundswell for the experts. At 8 ft, this is a big-wave day for experienced surfers only. No crowds to worry about here since it’s an advanced, rarely-breaking reef, but on a day like this, if it’s on, you might see a few other keen locals. The water is sitting at 69°, feeling about a degree colder than normal for this time of year. After that glassy morning, the wind swings onshore from the NE in the afternoon and ruins the party—so it’s a one-session window.

Sunday the 20th onward is rough. The wind stays onshore and picks up, the swell drops in size and quality, and we get a long run of poor conditions. From Sunday through to the end of the window on the 30th, we’re looking at choppy, lumpy, cross-onshore wind with swell heights bouncing between 2 ft and 7 ft. The short period swells (6-8 seconds) mean the waves are weak and disorganised. The 28th of September shows a slight uptick in energy (471) with a 4 ft E swell, but the wind is still cross-on, so it’s just another marginal day at best.

In short, if you’re a strong surfer who can handle a tricky reef and big swell, mark your calendar for Saturday morning the 19th. Everything else is a waiting game. Keep your hopes up—forecasts can change, but right now, it’s a lean run.

Rusty.

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