Arrawarra Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here, and I’ve got a mixed bag for Arrawarra over the next couple of weeks. We’re looking at a rough start with some solid, messy swell, but if you’re patient, there’s a sweet little window of clean waves coming mid-week next week. Let’s break it down.

Right now, from Thursday the 16th, it’s a bit of a dog’s breakfast. We’ve got a 8ft SSE swell with a short 8-second period, and the wind is a fresh 22 mph cross-off from the south. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there. The wave energy is moderate (876), but honestly, the surf is poor. The conditions are just too lumpy and raw to get excited about. That trend carries through Friday the 17th with a similar setup—8ft SE swell, 7-second period, still cross-off winds, and the energy drops a bit (558). It’s only marginal at best.

Saturday the 18th sees the swell bump up to 10ft from the SE, period crawling to 8 seconds, and the energy jumps to 1171—moderate to strong. But the wind is howling at 22 mph from the south, cross-off again. The surf is still marginal. By Sunday the 19th, we’ve got a 12ft ESE swell with a 10-second period, energy hitting 2368 (strong to very strong), but that’s a heap of water for a point break with a short-period groundswell. It’s going to be a big, unruly mess for most, and the wind is still a fresh 22 mph. This is expert territory, and even then, it’s not fun. The setup is more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Monday the 20th is a bit of a breather—8ft ESE swell, 10-second period, energy at 1173, and the wind drops to 12 mph from the SSE, still cross-off. The surf is still marginal, but there’s a glimmer with a score of 3 out of 10. Not worth rushing out for.

Now, here’s the standout. Tuesday the 21st is where it all comes together. The swell drops to a manageable 6ft from the east, with a 10-second period, and the energy is a moderate 708. But the wind turns offshore from the south at just 6 mph, and the conditions are clean. The guidance says “expect very good surf conditions” and it’s a 3 out of 10. This is by far the best on offer—clean, lined-up waves at Arrawarra (a point break), with that long-period groundswell offering shape. The crowd can be “often” busy, so you’ll have company, but it’s worth it. Wednesday the 22nd morning is a gem too—4ft from the east, 10-second period, glassy conditions with a 3 mph southerly breeze. The energy is 330, and the surf is clean and good. That’s a morning session to remember.

After that, the swell drops off a cliff. From Thursday the 23rd, we’re into tiny waves—around 3ft to 2ft—with short periods and mostly poor onshore or cross-shore winds. There’s a gap of several days with no real recommendations. A few mornings on the 25th and 26th have offshore winds but barely any swell (2ft to 3ft, 8-second period), and the energy is weak (56 to 141). It’s just not worth paddling out. The run of poor surf stretches through to the end of the forecast on Friday the 31st of July—tiny waves, weak energy, and mostly messy conditions.

So, to sum it up: the best surf is Tuesday the 21st and Wednesday the 22nd morning. Get out there early for the clean, glassy east swell. After that, it’s a long flat spell.

Rusty.

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