Back Strands Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer at Back Strands over the next couple of weeks. I’ll be straight with you – this one’s a tough stretch.

The forecast starts off pretty grim. We’ve got a pulse of swell arriving on Saturday the 25th of July, with waves around 6 ft from the WNW and a period of 9 seconds, but the wind is a messy cross-onshore from the WSW at 19 mph. The combined energy is moderate at 579, but with that wind, it’s a write-off. Sunday the 26th is even worse – the swell bumps up to 7 ft, but the wind is howling from the WNW at 22 mph, making it a lumpy, cross-onshore mess. Combined energy climbs to 804, but it’s not surfable. This is the kind of setup that’s more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

There’s a small window on Monday the 27th morning. The swell drops to 5 ft from the W with a 10-second period, and the wind goes light cross-off from the SSW at 9 mph. The energy is moderate at 377, and the surf is described as clean. It’s a marginal score, but it’s the best we’ve got. The break is a reef, and with a W swell direction, it’s not hitting the optimum from the W, but the clean conditions make it worth a look. Still, the overall quality is poor, so don’t expect magic.

After that, the surf fades fast. Tuesday the 28th sees 4 ft waves with cross-off winds in the morning, but the energy drops to 189 and the surf is poor. By Wednesday the 29th, we’re down to 3 ft, and the rest of the week is a slow decline into tiny, weak waves. From the 30th of July onward, the swell drops below 3 ft, and the combined energy falls into the double digits (28 to 85). The wind does go glassy on the morning of the 31st of July and again on the 3rd of August, with 2 ft waves from the WNW, but the energy is so low (48 and 62) that it’s barely breaking. The water temperature is about average for the time of year.

There’s a slight uptick on the 6th of August, with a 4 ft swell from the WNW and a 7-second period, but the wind is a cross-on from the N at 6 mph, and the energy is moderate at 169. The surf is still poor. The rest of the outlook through to the 9th of August is all small, weak, and choppy.

The bottom line: there’s really no standout session here. The best bet is Monday the 27th morning, but it’s a marginal call. The lack of consistency is a bummer, but in this area, a blank run like this happens. Forecasts can change, so keep an eye on it, but for now, I’d say take the week off.

Rusty.

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