Aileen's Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming up for Aileen's.

Truth is, the next week and a half is a real slow grind. There’s a long stretch from Tuesday the 14th all the way through to Friday the 24th of July where the swell is tiny – we’re talking ankle to knee high at best, mostly around 0.7ft to 2ft from the west or west-southwest. The combined energy is weak, sitting between 11 and 67, so there’s just no power in the water. Winds are mostly cross-off or light, which would keep things clean, but with no size, it’s a flat spell. You’d be better off with a longboard or a kayak. The water temp is 62°F, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year.

Then, we finally get a pulse around Saturday the 25th of July. The swell jumps up to 7ft from the west with a 12-second period, and the combined energy hits 1342 – that’s proper strong. That’s a solid groundswell, but here’s the catch: Aileen's is a reef break, and while that long period (12 seconds) is good for shape, the wind that morning is a gentle cross-shore, and the forecast says “marginal surf forecast or questionable tide conditions.” By the afternoon, the wind swings cross-onshore and gets choppy. It’s got size, but it’s not clean. This is expert-only territory at that size – over 8ft is too big for most, and 7ft is pushing it for intermediates.

Sunday the 26th and Monday the 27th are still big, with 6ft and 5ft from the west, but the wind is fresh and cross-onshore, making it lumpy and messy. The energy drops but is still moderate to strong (757 to 287). It’s not really worth paddling out in those conditions unless you’re a glutton for punishment.

The best chance for a decent session looks like Tuesday the 28th of July. The swell drops to 3ft from the west, period 8 seconds – short period, so not much grunt – but the wind is light and cross-off from the southeast, which means clean waves. The combined energy is 116, so moderate. It’s the cleanest it’s been in a while, but it’s small. The break is inconsistent, so you’ll be waiting around for the sets, but when they come, they’ll be clean. Crowds are often here, so you might have some company.

Wednesday the 29th offers a bit more size at 3ft from the west, 10-second period, with a light cross-onshore wind. The energy is 200, moderate, but it’s a touch lumpy. Not a standout, but it’s surfable.

Overall, if you’re desperate for a wave, aim for the 28th of July for the cleanest conditions. The big pulse on the 25th is a tease – lots of power, but the wind and tide look iffy. For the rest, it’s a waiting game. This is a spot that can be fickle, and a blank run like this isn’t unusual for the area.

Rusty.

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