Albatross Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for the coming weeks.

The big picture is a bit of a slow start, with some proper swell energy building later on. The first few days are a write-off with choppy, onshore winds and messy conditions. The real standout action is a long way off, but it looks like it could be worth the wait.

Tuesday 28 July through to Friday 31 July is pretty grim. We’ve got a solid 10ft SSW swell showing on Tuesday morning, but it’s completely blown out by a 9 mph cross-on wind and rain. The combined wave energy is high (4326), but it’s a mess. It’s bigger than 8ft, so this is for experts only anyway, and the wind is just ruining it. The afternoon gets worse. This pattern continues right through to the end of the month – cross-on winds, lumpy conditions, and the swell drops away. A complete gap of no good surf.

We finally get a bit of a break on Sunday 2 August in the afternoon. The wind goes glassy, and we’ve got a 4ft SSW swell with a period of 13 seconds. The combined energy is low (495), but that glassy wind is a major positive. It’s a small window of clean conditions. Monday 3 August morning is even better, with a light offshore wind from the WSW and a 4ft SW swell (645 combined energy). Clean, little waves. The water temp is running about 65°, which is close to average for this time of year.

Now, the real excitement starts to build. Wednesday 5 August is a serious standout. The morning brings a 7ft SW swell with a very long 16-second period. The wind is light offshore from the SW, and the combined energy jumps to 2465. This is excellent surf for experienced surfers. It’s a groundswell with real power, and this break is a beach and reef set-up, so that long period should work nicely. The afternoon stays clean with a 8ft swell.

Thursday 6 August gets big, with a 13ft SW swell, but it’s paired with a 19 mph offshore wind. That’s fresh and clean, but 13ft is massive – experts only, and the wind might make it tricky. The combined energy is huge at 5593. The same goes for Friday morning, but by Friday 7 August afternoon, the wind drops to a gentle 9 mph offshore, and the swell is still a solid 12ft from the SW. The energy is 5387. That’s the pick of that big swell window.

After a bit of a messy weekend, the *real* standout is Sunday 9 August. The morning has a massive 16ft SW swell with a combined energy reading of 14817. That’s exceptional energy. The wind is light cross-off, and the conditions are clean. This is for expert surfers only, no question. The afternoon is still big but gets windier. Monday 10 August morning holds a 16ft swell with a 16-second period and light cross-on wind, but the energy is still huge (12273). The conditions are marginal with the wind, but it’s a massive, long-period groundswell. Tuesday 11 August afternoon sees a drop to 8ft SW swell with glassy conditions (3878 energy). That’s a much more manageable size and clean. Wednesday 12 August is another beauty, with a 8ft SW swell showing a massive 17-second period, glassy wind, and a combined energy of 4583. That’s an incredible, long-period groundswell with perfect conditions. The afternoon stays clean with a 10ft swell.

So, for the standout calls: If you’re an expert, the Sunday 9 August morning session is the big one – that 16ft energy is off the charts. For the more experienced surfer looking for a cleaner, still powerful session, Wednesday 12 August morning with that 17-second groundswell and glassy conditions is a true gem. The earlier windows on the 5th and 7th are also very solid, but the 9th and 12th are the ones to circle on the calendar. Keep in mind, these long-range calls are promising but less certain.

Rusty.

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