Backdoor 4 Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty, and I’m looking at the next 16 days for Backdoor 4. It’s a reef break, intermediate-level, and it’s pretty much always breaking when there’s swell. This is an exposed spot, and it likes swell from the east.

The window kicks off with a bang, but it’s a bit of a dangerous one. Friday, July 31st, is looking at a serious pulse of swell. We’re talking about 7ft to 7ft of south swell, and the energy is massive at 1481. That’s a lot of water moving. The wind is offshore, which is perfect, but honestly, this is too big for most. That’s expert territory only. The period is a very long 10 seconds, so it’s a proper groundswell, but that size on a reef is no joke.

After that, things settle down. Saturday morning, August 1st, is the real standout for the average surfer. The swell drops to a much friendlier 5ft from the south, with a period of 9 seconds. The wind is a light cross-offshore, and the water temperature is about average for this time of year. The energy is still moderate at 448. This is going to be clean, fun, and manageable. It’s the best on offer, a solid choice.

Saturday afternoon gets a bit smaller and the wind goes cross, making it less appealing. The rest of the weekend and into the next week is a write-off. From Sunday the 2nd through to around Wednesday the 5th, the conditions are poor, with onshore winds or just tiny, weak swell. There’s a big gap of a few days with no real surf to speak of.

Then, on Wednesday, August 5th, the afternoon looks interesting. The swell bumps back up to 6ft from the south, with a period of 11 seconds, and the energy is strong at 720. The wind is glassy offshore and it’s clean. This is another highlight, but it’s a bit bigger. It’s a second great option, but the Saturday morning session is the one I’d be marking on the calendar.

For the rest of the second week, from the 6th onwards, it’s a real mixed bag of small, weak swells and poor wind. There’s some clean surf in the mornings, but the energy is low, nothing to get excited about. The weekend of the 8th and 9th offers some chest-high, clean waves, but it’s inconsistent. Later in the forecast, the wind gets howling from the southwest, which makes the surf tiny and blown out. It’s looking like a kite surfer’s paradise more than a paddle surfer’s.

So, to wrap it up: the first Friday is for experts only. The absolute best bet for everyone else is Saturday morning, August 1st. There’s a solid second chance on Wednesday afternoon, August 5th. After that, it’s a waiting game.

Rusty.

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