Apollo Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Looks like we’ve got a bit of a slow start before things fire up proper. There’s a gap of a few days before the first proper surf recommendation kicks in on Saturday 18 July, so don’t bother paddling out before then.

Alright, let’s talk about Apollo Bay. This spot’s a beach and point setup, fairly exposed to the swell, and it’s picking up a nice SW groundswell. The water temp’s about average for the time of year, so nothing weird there. The first real action hits Saturday morning 18 July: a clean 4ft SW swell with a 14-second period – that’s proper groundswell energy, and the wind’s light cross-off from the NW. The combined energy is moderate at 639, so enough grunt to get you moving. This is a solid start for the weekend.

Then Saturday afternoon 18 July goes glassy – zero wind, a clean 4ft SW swell, still that long period around 13 seconds. It’s a beauty, but it’s small, so don’t expect big barrels. Crowds are sometimes an issue here, so keep an eye out.

Sunday morning 19 July stays clean with a 3ft SSW swell, period 11 seconds, and light cross-off wind. The energy drops to 330, but it’s still surfable. Sunday afternoon gets a bit ordinary with cross-on breeze, so maybe call it early.

Monday 20 July morning sees a 3ft WSW swell with a very long 16-second period – that’s proper groundswell, but at a beach-and-point, long period can make it a bit straight. Wind’s cross-off, clean, and energy moderate at 359. It’s workable.

Tuesday 21 July is a steady run: 4ft SW swell, 14-second period, clean cross-off wind both morning and afternoon. Energy sits around 487 and 444 – consistent, not epic.

Now, Wednesday 22 July afternoon gets interesting. The wind turns offshore from the WSW at 25 km/h, and the swell jumps to 5ft SW, but note the period is short at 8 seconds – windswell, not groundswell. Energy’s moderate at 627, and it’s clean. This is a solid pick for experienced surfers, but that short period won’t have the same push as the longer stuff.

The big stuff starts Thursday 23 July. The swell builds to 7ft SW with a 14-second period, energy jumps to 1972 – strong. Wind is cross-off, clean. This is getting into expert territory, so beginners should sit this out. Friday 24 July keeps the swell at 8ft SW, 15-second period, energy 2190, and Friday afternoon brings offshore wind from the W at 25 km/h, making it clean. Still for experts only.

Saturday 25 July morning drops to 5ft SW, but the afternoon is the standout of the whole forecast. Saturday 25 July afternoon pumps a 12ft WSW swell, 12-second period, and offshore wind from the WNW at 20 km/h. The energy is massive at 4654 – strong to very strong. This is excellent for experienced surfers. Clean, powerful, and decent period. If you’re an expert, mark this in your calendar.

Sunday 26 July gets messy. Morning is poor surf conditions with a 4ft SW swell and cross-off wind, but the afternoon sees a 10ft WSW swell but with fresh breeze – not worth it.

Monday 27 July is another big day: 10ft SW swell, 12-second period, energy 4421, cross-off wind. Experts only, and it’s clean.

Tuesday 28 July morning you get offshore wind from the WNW, 10ft SSW swell with a very long 15-second period, energy 3776. That’s a standout for the reef and point sections – the long period will make it hollow and fast, but at the beach, it might be too straight. Still, excellent for experienced surfers.

Wednesday 29 July and Thursday 30 July keep the size up with 7ft to 13ft SSW swells, plenty of energy, but the wind is cross-off, not clean offshore. Thursday 30 July afternoon hits 13ft SSW, 11-second period, energy 6663 – that’s very strong, but it’s marginal for quality.

The absolute best of the forecast is Friday 31 July. Friday morning: 13ft SW swell, 12-second period, energy 6105, and light cross-off wind from the WNW. Friday afternoon: 12ft SW, glassy with SE wind at 5 km/h, energy 4863. Both sessions are clean and excellent for experienced surfers. This is the one to aim for.

After that, Saturday 1 August and Sunday 2 August turn ugly. Cross-on and onshore winds, choppy, poor conditions. The swell is still big but the wind kills it.

So overall, the standout is Friday 31 July – glassy, clean, powerful, and for the experts. Saturday 25 July afternoon is also a cracker. The rest of the second week has plenty of size but the wind and quality vary. Stay safe out there.

Rusty.

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