Albatross Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. We’ve got a solid 16-day window ahead, but it’s a tale of two halves. The first week is all about size and power, demanding respect, while the second week looks more average and inconsistent. There’s a distinct gap in quality mid-period, so let’s get into it.

The action kicks off Wednesday afternoon, July 8th, with a solid 10ft SW groundswell. The water is a bit colder than normal at 63°, that’s nearly 4°F below average for this time of year, so you’ll want a good wetsuit. The energy is strong (3205), but the wind is a fresh 19 mph cross-off, which keeps things clean. This is a powerful, consistent beach and reef setup. It’s not the best session, but it’s a start.

Thursday, July 9th, is where it gets real. The morning brings a jump in size to 12ft from the WSW, with a period of 14 seconds. That’s a very long period groundswell, packing a huge amount of energy (4560). The wind is a clean offshore 16 mph, making for excellent conditions. This is big, powerful surf, definitely only for experienced surfers. The afternoon settles a bit, dropping to 12ft from the SSW (13s period, 3911 energy) with a gentle offshore breeze. This is a standout window.

Friday, July 10th, continues the run. Morning sees a 12ft SSW swell (13s, 4228 energy) with a cross-off wind, and the afternoon cleans up with a 10ft SSW swell (13s, 3496 energy) under a light offshore breeze. The quality is high, but the size is still serious.

From Saturday, July 11th, into Tuesday, July 15th, the quality drops off a cliff. The wind switches onshore, the swell drops, and the energy fades. There’s a gap of about 4 days where there’s nothing worth paddling out for. You’ll see some small, short-period windswell (ESE, 8s period) with weak energy, but it’s not the real deal.

The tide turns on Wednesday, July 16th. A strong 12ft WSW swell (9s period, 2247 energy) arrives, but it’s got a strong 28 mph cross-off wind. The wind is too strong for good surfing, but it’s clean. This setup is more interesting for the kite surfers than for paddle surfing.

The next real standouts are on Monday, July 20th, and Tuesday, July 21st. Monday afternoon is glassy calm with a 7ft S swell (10s, 977 energy). The wind is dead calm, making it glassy and clean. Tuesday morning, July 21st, is the best of the late window. It’s a 7ft SSW groundswell with a very long 15-second period (2564 energy). The wind is a gentle cross-off, so the waves will be clean and powerful. This is a point break or reef kind of wave, not a beach break.

The final highlight is on Thursday, July 23rd. The morning is a huge 13ft SW swell (14s, 5962 energy) with a light cross-on wind, but it’s the afternoon that’s a true standout. The sea goes glassy, the wind is dead calm, and the swell is still a massive 13ft from the SW (14s, 6127 energy). This is enormous, powerful, and perfect. It’s an expert-only session, but if you’ve got the skills, it’s the best wave on offer in the entire 16-day window.

In short, the best bets are Thursday July 9th and 10th for the first week, and Tuesday July 21st and especially Thursday afternoon July 23rd for the second week. The rest is a mixed bag of small, weak, or windy conditions.

Rusty.

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