Back Strands Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for Back Strands over the next couple of weeks. I’ll be straight with you – it’s a slow patch for this reef. We’re looking at a long dry spell before anything really worth paddling out for shows up.

The pattern is pretty flat for a while. The first real glimmer of surf shows up on Monday the 27th of July, and even then it’s just a brief window. The water is sitting at 62°F, which is a touch warmer than usual for this time of year, so the rubber might feel a bit more forgiving.

That Monday morning on the 27th is the standout, but only in the context of a pretty bleak forecast. Tuesday afternoon the 28th offers a tiny window of cleaner conditions, but the surf will be on the small side. After that, it’s a real snoozefest for over a week.

There is a pulse of swell that tries to build around the 5th of August, but the winds and conditions look foul. Then, in the second week, there’s a hint of something cleaner with offshore winds kicking in on the 8th and 10th of August, but the swell is tiny. It’s a waiting game, folks. Here’s the run-down:

Monday, 27th July – The Only Real Window
Back Strands sees a pulse of 4ft swell from the WNW with a 10-second period. The combined wave energy is moderate at 346. The wind is light from the SSW, cross-off, and the forecast says “clean”. This is the best it gets in this window. It’s not pumping, but for a Monday morning, it’s surfable. The 4ft is manageable for most.

Tuesday, 28th July – Quick Clean-up
The swell drops to 4ft from the west, period drops to 8 seconds. The morning is messy with a cross-chop, but by the afternoon, the wind goes light cross-off and it cleans up. It’s ordinary, but if you’re desperate, the later session is your best bet.

The Long Gap (29th July to 4th August)
From Wednesday the 29th right through to the 4th of August, it’s a write-off. Swell barely breaks 3ft, and when there’s a little bump, the wind is onshore or side-onshore and ruining it. The combined wave energy drops to below 100, signalling a weak, messy ocean. Kite surfers might have a look at the choppy days, but for paddle surfing, it’s a blank.

The Second Week (5th August onwards)
There’s a little spike on the 7th of August with 5ft from the west, but the period is short at 7 seconds and the wind is side-onshore. The energy hits 192, which is moderate, but it won’t be pretty.

The only positive note is the 8th and 10th of August, when the wind shifts offshore (SE and ESE). However, the swell is tiny – 1ft to 1ft. It’ll be glassy and clean, but with no push. Combined energy is down in the single digits (22 and 9). A rare, inconsistent break like this needs more than that to fire.

So, keep your expectations low. The one brief standout is that Monday morning, the 27th of July. After that, it’s a waiting game. Forecasts can change, but right now, it’s looking quiet.

Rusty.

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