Alex Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for the next couple of weeks at Alex. I’ll be straight with you – it’s a bit of a tough stretch for paddle surfing, but we’ll get through it.

We’re starting off with a pretty disappointing run. The whole first week and a bit, from Tuesday the 21st of July right through to the end of the month, is looking like a write-off. The swell is on offer, but the wind is just a constant curse. It’s almost always a cross-onshore breeze, and that’s destroying any chance of clean faces. The swell energy is moderate at best, getting up to around 488 (moderate wave energy) early on, but it’s all short-period, 8-second wind swell from the ESE. It’s a messy, choppy, blown-out scene. You’ll be battling a lumpy, bumpy surface, not riding a wave.

There’s a tiny glimmer on Sunday the 26th of July. The morning shows a bit of a break in the pattern. We’ve got a light NE cross-offshore breeze, and the wave comment says “clean.” The swell is tiny, just 3ft from the ESE, and the period is a weak 7 seconds, so it’s not powerful, but it’s surfable. For a surfer desperate for a few clean little dribblers, that’s your best bet. The combined energy is low at 109 (weak wave energy), so don’t expect much push, but at least it won’t be a battle against the wind. The water temp is about average for the time of year, nothing to write home about.

After that, we’re back into a long, dry spell. From the 27th of July all the way through to the 1st of August, there’s just nothing. The swell drops to tiny, ankle-snapping levels, and the onshore junk returns. It’s a real blank run.

Then, heading into the first week of August, the swell tries to build back up. We see a jump in energy on the 2nd and 3rd, with combined energy hitting 529 (moderate wave energy) and the swell height pushing 6ft. But – and it’s a big but – the wind is still a problem. Gusting up to 19 mph from the ESE, it’s fresh cross-onshore and lumpy. The period is still short, around 7-8 seconds. This setup is just ugly. The waves will be a messy, wind-chopped wall. Honestly, this looks more interesting for the kite surfers than anyone on a paddleboard. The swell is too big and the conditions are too poor for a good time.

The last day in the window, Wednesday the 5th of August, is a bit of a tease. The swell is back up to 6ft from the ESE, with a moderate energy of 465, but the wind eases a bit. The comment says “gentle cross-onshore and fairly choppy.” It’s a step in the right direction, but still not what we’d call good. If you’re a strong paddler and don’t mind a bit of chop, it might be a long-shot session, but I wouldn’t hold your breath.

So, bottom line: the only real chance to get wet in clean conditions is that Sunday morning, 26th of July. After that, it’s a long wait with a lot of onshore junk. Keep an eye on the forecasts, though – things can change.

Rusty.

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