Albatross Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it. We’ve got one spot on the table for the next couple of weeks: Albatross. It’s a sheltered beach and reef set-up that’s consistent, so there’s plenty to talk about.

The big picture is a solid run of Southern Ocean groundswell, but it’s not all smooth sailing. The early part of the week has some size, but the wind is a bit messy. We’re looking at Friday the 17th to kick things off with a solid 10ft SW swell at 12 seconds. The wind is a light cross-off, so the morning session is on. The water temp is about average for the time of year, nothing wild there.

Friday afternoon’s still good, dropping to 8ft SW, but still clean. Saturday the 18th starts a bit smaller at 5ft in the morning with a moderate cross-off, but the afternoon is the real story: a clean 8ft SW swell with a 2.5m period and offshore wind. That’s a proper window. Sunday the 19th is a write-off, with a strong 35 km/h cross-off wind making a mess of an 8ft swell – that’s kite-surfing territory, not paddling.

The first standout is Monday the 20th morning. The swell is 7ft from the SW, but the wind goes absolutely glassy. Dead calm, zero wind. This is the kind of morning you wake up early for. The combined energy is moderate (1177), but the glassy conditions will make it feel like a million bucks.

Monday afternoon and Tuesday see the swell drop and the wind go a bit cross-shore, so it’s a session for the die-hards. The real fireworks start Wednesday the 22nd afternoon. That’s a 10ft SW swell with a 12-second period and a clean offshore wind. The energy is pumping (5057). This is size for experienced surfers only.

The absolute standout, the one to circle is Saturday the 25th morning. We’re looking at a 12ft SW swell, 16-second period – that’s very long-period groundswell – and a clean offshore wind. The combined energy is a massive 7122. This is a big, powerful, clean swell. Because it’s such a long period, it might be a bit too straight for a beach break, but on a reef it’ll be a thing of beauty. This is expert territory.

Sunday the 26th holds big (16ft SSW), but the wind is a bit more cross-off. It’s still excellent for the pros. After that, the swell drops off a cliff. Monday the 27th is a total loss with onshore wind, and the rest of the week into early August sees small, weak energy (under 1000) and generally poor conditions. There’s a tiny glimmer on the 1st of August with a 4ft WSW swell and glassy conditions, but it’s a long way out and very small.

So, to wrap it up: the first 10 days have some absolute gems, especially Monday the 20th morning for the glass, and Saturday the 25th morning for the big, clean groundswell. After that, it’s a long, quiet stretch. Get out there when it’s good.

Rusty.

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