Windmills Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, it’s Rusty.

To be straight with you, this stretch ahead looks like a tough one. We’ve got a solid-looking fortnight of waves showing on the charts, but the wind gods have got it in for us. That constant east-northeast flow is gonna chop up just about everything, so the real gems are going to be rare. The one window that stands out is the opening afternoon, and even then, it’s a short-lived clean spell before the cross-shore junk moves in.

First up, Tuesday afternoon (September 8th) is your best bet. Windmills (Windmills-1) is looking like the standout of the entire period. We’ve got a 4.3ft swell coming from the ENE with an 11-second period, and it’s pushing a moderate combined energy of 583. That’s a decent, workable wave. But the real story is that light SSE wind, offshore for this spot, with a "clean" call on the water. It’s an advanced reef break, so it's not for everyone, but for those who know their way around, it’s going to be proper. The water temp is a touch warm at 80.1°F, which is pretty much spot-on average for this time of year. Just remember, crowds are a real possibility here, so get out there early.

After that, it’s a long, frustrating slog. From Wednesday morning (September 9th) right through the weekend and into the following week, the east-northeast wind is going to be blowing sideways or cross-off, with speeds picking up from 9 mph to 19 mph and beyond. The swell sticks around, mostly between 2.6ft and 5.2ft, but with periods dropping to 7 or 8 seconds, it’s going to be a jumbled, cross-chop mess with a poor quality call every single time. The energy is all over the place, too, with readings like 102, 185, and 237, just enough to get you out there without giving you anything to ride. It’s a two-week stretch of looking at the ocean and shaking your head.

The second week doesn't offer any favors. The ENE wind hangs in there, and the swell stays up but messy. You’ll see some moderate energy readings in the 300s on the 18th and 19th, with 4.6ft to 4.9ft swells, but the cross-shore wind and short period are just going to keep it lumpy and hard to surf. By the 20th, the storms roll in, and winds get even stronger, making it less about surfing and more about trying not to get blown off your board. The only potential positive late in the window is on the 22nd when we see a cross-off wind state, but the swell looks pretty weak and short-period by then.

Bottom line: if you can sneak out on that Tuesday afternoon, you’re in for a treat. Otherwise, you’re waiting for a serious change in the wind pattern, because this forecast looks pretty grim for paddle surfing. With these strong cross-shore winds and the beach/reef setup, this might be more interesting for the kite crew than anyone else.

So, mark your calendar for the 8th. Don’t sleep on it.

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