Watermans Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. We’ve got a mixed bag of a forecast for Watermans. It’s a reef break that’s fairly consistent, but a lot of this window is going to be tricky. The good news is, when things line up, it’s proper. The water temp is sitting at 64°, which is about average for the time of year, so no surprises there.

Right off the bat, Wednesday the 9th afternoon looks like a solid entry point. We’ve got a WSW swell at 7 ft, with a period of 15 seconds – that’s a sweet, long-period groundswell that’ll wrap in with some proper energy (combined energy of 2034). The wind is light offshore from the east, meaning clean faces. This is for the experienced crew; it’s pushing over 5 ft, so it's a bit much for the groms. That Wednesday afternoon is a real standout. It’s also the only real standout in the near term, so handle it with care.

Thursday the 10th backs off a touch. The morning has a clean 5 ft swell but it's a cross-offshore breeze, and the score is lower. The afternoon cleans up a bit with offshore wind, but the swell drops to 5 ft. Still, 15-second groundswell with moderate energy (965) and a moderate offshore breeze means it’s surfable and clean for those on a smaller board.

Friday the 11th gets weird. Morning has a 5 ft WSW swell but it’s cross-offshore again. The afternoon is frustrating: a 5 ft 19-second swell is a proper, long-period groundswell, but the wind swings onshore from the WNW. That’s a shame – that period is proper, but onshore wind at this reef will make it bumpy and tough. The energy is huge (2110), but it’s wasted.

Then we hit a grim stretch. From Saturday the 12th right through to the end of the first week, the wind is onshore or cross-onshore, or the tide and conditions are just off. Swell hangs around 6 ft to 7 ft, but the wind is from the west or WSW, making it choppy and messy. Sunday the 13th afternoon is a perfect example: 7 ft WSW, but cross-onshore breeze makes it “fairly choppy.” This part of the window is a write-off for a quality session.

Now here’s another highlight, and it’s a big one. Monday the 14th morning. The swell jumps to 8 ft, 14-second period from the WSW, and the wind is a light 6 mph offshore from the east. That is clean, clean, clean. The energy is massive (2227). This is another day for the experienced crowd only, and it looks like the best of the whole run.

After that, the second week gets windy and inconsistent. The energy stays high (often in the 2000s), but from Tuesday the 15th onward, the wind is mostly from the SSW or S, creating cross-onshore or choppy conditions. We get a break on Thursday the 17th morning with a glassy start (NW 3 mph), but the swell is down to 6 ft and it’s cross-onshore, so just a marginal window.

A huge red flag for the 19th of September. Saturday the 19th sees a massive 15 ft W swell, but it’s coming with cross-onshore wind and the energy is absurd (8282). Do not paddle out there. That’s more of a kite-surfing day, or a day to watch from the cliffs. It’s unsafe for paddle surfing.

The tail end of the forecast, around the 21st to the 24th, sees solid 8 ft to 8 ft SW groundswell with periods in the high teens, but the wind never truly cooperates. It’s onshore or cross-onshore, with some lumpy, lumpy chop. The energy readings are high (over 2500), but it’s just not going to be clean. There’s a glimmer on the 24th morning, but it’s a 5 ft SW with moderate cross-shore wind, and it’s a long way out.

So, to sum it up: the standout is Monday the 14th morning – get ready for that one. Wednesday the 9th afternoon is a close second. The rest of the window is a battle with the wind, but there are short, clean windows in the morning on the 10th and 14th. Keep an eye on the forecast; it tends not to stay poor for long.

Rusty.

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