Backdoor 4 Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the menu.

First off, things are pretty flat and sad for the next few days. We’re looking at a gap from now until the morning of Thursday, 30 July, with nothing worth paddling out for. Small, weak, and messy. The wind is all wrong, and the swell is practically non-existent. Just a bit of a wait.

Then, Thursday morning, 30 July, things start to fire up. Backdoor 4 (reef) comes alive with a clean 6 ft south swell, period around 10 seconds – that’s solid groundswell with good shape. The wind is light and cross-offshore, so the face will be clean. The combined wave energy is strong at 541 (moderate-strong). Water temperature is 65°, right on the money for this time of year, nothing unusual. This is a standout morning.

Thursday afternoon gets even better. The swell drops a touch to 5 ft, but the wind swings offshore from the SSE at 9 mph, glassing it up nicely. Energy is still pumping at 577. This is the best on offer – clean, offshore, consistent. If you’ve got a shortboard and some skill, this is your window.

Friday, 31 July, keeps the momentum. Morning sees 5 ft south swell with light cross-offshore wind and clean conditions. Energy sits at 540. Afternoon pushes up to 6 ft with a moderate offshore breeze from the south at 12 mph, and energy jumps to 620. That’s a strong, punchy setup. The reef will handle it well. This is another standout day.

Saturday, 1 August, is still good but a step down. Morning 5 ft south swell with clean cross-offshore wind, and afternoon drops to 4 ft with glassy conditions. Energy is moderate at 460 and 397. Still fun, but not as meaty as the days before.

Sunday, 2 August, gets tricky. Morning has a 5 ft south-southeast swell with a long 13-second period, but the wind is onshore. That’s a lot of energy (653) but the wind will mess it up. Afternoon goes cross-onshore and choppy. Not worth it.

Monday, 3 August, brings a cleaner morning. 2 ft south-southeast swell with a 13-second period, cross-offshore wind, and clean faces. Energy is moderate at 344. Afternoon has a 3 ft swell with a moderate offshore breeze. Good for a smaller board session.

Tuesday, 4 August, continues the clean trend. Morning 4 ft south-southeast swell, light offshore wind, energy 355. Afternoon drops to 3 ft, still clean. Consistent but smaller.

From Wednesday, 5 August, things start to fade. The swell gets weaker and shorter period. By Friday, 7 August, there’s a 5 ft swell but with a short 6-second period – that’s windswell, not groundswell, and it’ll be lumpy. Saturday, 8 August, the swell jumps to 7 ft from the southeast, but it’s predicted to be too big for Backdoor 4, and the wind is onshore. That’s for experts only if you’re brave, but the conditions are poor.

The second week is a mixed bag of small, weak, or blown-out conditions. Nothing to get excited about. The best of the whole run is definitely Thursday 30 July through Friday 31 July – clean, strong, and offshore. Get on it.

Rusty.

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