Back Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

No surf on the immediate horizon. The first lull runs from now through Saturday, 26 July. A glimmer appears Sunday morning, 27 July, but that swell is too big for this spot and I’d skip it. After that we get a run of decent, rideable days that starts to look pretty exciting for a clean, offshore winner on Wednesday 29 July morning.

Alright, let’s talk Back Beach. Sunday 27 July morning sees a solid 10 ft SW groundswell with a period of 13 seconds, but the water temp is sitting at 68°F – which is about average for the time of year, nothing unusual. The combined energy here is strong (2764). Problem is, this swell is way oversize for beginners and it’s labelled as too big for the break anyway. Monday 28 July and Tuesday 29 July mornings are both clean, with offshore and cross-off winds, swells around 8 ft to 7 ft from the SW with moderate wave energy (2202 to 2011). These are solid, consistent waves for competent surfers, but they’re not the standouts.

Wednesday 29 July morning is the one that gets me going. We’ve got a 4 ft WSW swell, but the period jumps to 17 seconds – that’s a long-period groundswell, which will produce beautifully shaped, powerful lines, great for a beachie like this if the tide lines up. The wind is NE 15 mph, offshore, keeping things clean and glassy. Combined energy is moderate (1755), but the quality is marked as excellent for experienced surfers. Not for beginners at this size, but for anyone who knows their way, this is the best session of the window. Crowds are possible here, so get in early.

Thursday 30 July morning holds another offshore window with 6 ft and 16-second period (1730 energy), also clean and excellent – a good backup.

The run continues into Friday 31 July morning: 8 ft WSW at 16 seconds, light NNW 6 mph offshore, very clean, excellent conditions (2904 energy). That is another top tier window, though the south to southwest swell will pitch a little fast at the beach – watch the tide.

Saturday 1 August and most of Monday 3 August get messy with strong cross-shore winds and lumpy conditions. The real fade happens from Tuesday 4 August onward, with onshore gales and rain, and by Thursday 6 August we’re looking at a 15 ft swell that’s huge, dangerous, and for experts only – but the wind is onshore and ugly. Combined energy on that Thursday afternoon hits a massive 13293 – very strong wave energy, but it’s a washing machine.

Friday 7 August through Saturday 9 August keep offering clean, cross-off winds and waves from 10 ft to 13 ft, but each time the swell is marked as too big for Back Beach (energy values between 4040 and 8142). For a regular surfer, the swell size and long period (14–17 seconds) will make for heavy, wonky lines at this exposed beach break. The setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing on those days.

If you’re looking to score clean, rideable surf, your best bet is Wednesday 29 July morning, with Friday 31 July morning as a close, clean runner-up. After that, the second week gets iffy and oversized.

Rusty.

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