Yonabaru Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you—this outlook for Yonabaru is a patient man’s game. The first week and a half is largely a write-off, with tiny, weak swells and persistent cross or cross-onshore wind messing up the surface. You’re looking at a solid 9-day gap from now until Saturday the 20th before there’s even a whisper of something surfable, and even then, it’s only marginal. The water temperature sits at 85°, which is 2° warmer than usual for this time of year—noticeably warm, feels like a bath.

The first real window of interest kicks off on Sunday morning, September 20. We’ve got a pulse of east swell coming in at 5ft with a period of 12 seconds, and the combined energy is solid at 687 (moderate energy). The wind is a gentle cross-shore from the north-northeast at 9 mph. It’s not perfect, but it’s the first time in a while you might find a few grovelly walls. The afternoon drops back to 5ft and the energy dips to 583, but it’s still worth a paddle if you’re desperate. The swell direction is east, which doesn’t match the optimum northeast for Yonabaru—so expect some wonky lines.

Now, if you can wait, the standout window is from Saturday, September 26 through to Tuesday, September 29. Saturday morning sees a jump in size to 7ft from the southeast, with a period of 13 seconds and strong energy at 1510 (very strong wave energy). That’s a proper groundswell. The wind is a clean cross-off from the north-northwest at 12 mph on Saturday afternoon, and by Sunday morning, we’ve got clean cross-offshore breezes from the northwest. The swell sticks around 7ft to 6ft through Sunday, and then Monday September 28 brings offshore wind from the west-northwest at 9 mph with 6ft east swell—conditions are described as “expect good surf conditions.” That Monday morning and afternoon are the best bets in the whole run: clean, lined-up, and manageable size for most intermediate surfers. Tuesday the 29th still holds clean 4ft east swell with offshore wind.

Be aware, though—the southeast swell on the 26th is coming from a direction that doesn’t match Yonabaru’s optimum northeast, so the break might not handle it as well as a more direct swell. And since Yonabaru is a beginner-friendly, fairly consistent spot, the bigger days (over 7ft) will push it toward expert territory. Crowds are possible here, so don’t expect solitude.

After that, the surf fades fast. By Wednesday September 30, the wind slams onshore from the north at 19 mph and the period drops to a short 7 seconds—that’s messy, lumpy, and not worth the hassle. The rest of the first week of October is flat or choppy.

Overall, the best call is Monday September 28, with Tuesday the 29th as a solid backup. Saturday the 26th is big and punchy but only for experienced crew. Everything else is a gamble at best.

Rusty.

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