Bird Rock Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Imperial Version

Alright, crew, Rusty here. Let's talk about what’s churning for Bird Rock over the next couple weeks. We’ve got some clean pockets and some wild, messy stretches, so let’s break it down.

Right now, the window starts a bit quiet. The main event in the first week is a long-period SW groundswell that’s been pulsing through, but we’re wrestling with tricky conditions early. Wednesday morning (July 8th) has a 4ft SW swell with a slow, powerful 18-second period – that’s super long, and it’ll be lining up nicely on the reef. The combined wave energy is a thumping 1240 (moderate-to-strong), but the issue is a light cross-shore wind that’ll keep the surface a bit bumpy. Water temp is around 58°, which is pretty normal for this time of year.

Thursday morning (July 9th) offers a moment of beauty. The swell drops to 3ft from the SW, period still a solid 16 seconds, and the wind goes glassy. Energy is moderate at 471, but with the wind dead flat and clean, those 3ft sets will be peeling smooth. This is a real highlight for a relaxed session when it’s working. Friday holds similar smaller surf with a clean, cross-off breeze, keeping things tidy but nothing too powerful.

Then we hit a rough patch. Saturday (July 11th) is a write-off: 2ft SW swell and 18 mph cross-off winds – just too much wind for small, weak energy (134). Sunday (July 12th) picks up to 5ft SW with a fresh 18-22 mph offshore flow. The energy jumps back up to 1124, but it’s a bit of a mixed feel. By Monday and Tuesday (13th/14th July), the swell builds properly to 6ft–8ft from the SW, packing very strong combined energy values of 1738 and 2828. This is expert territory, especially as it gets over 7ft. Tuesday morning looks the best of the bunch with a strong offshore NW wind cleaning up the lines, but these are hefty, powerful waves for the experienced only. The period stays around 15-16 seconds, so the reef will hold its shape well.

Things fall apart mid-week. Wednesday (15th) and Thursday (16th July) have the swell dropping but the wind swinging onshore, making for messy, poor-quality conditions. Not worth paddling out.

Now, looking into the second week, we’ve got a proper standout. Friday, July 17th, is the pick of the entire forecast. The morning offers 5ft SW swell with that gorgeous groundswell period of 17 seconds. What sets it apart is a dead-calm glassy wind – total zero – paired with a combined energy of 1526 (very strong). The data calls this “excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers,” and I’d second that. It will be big, powerful, and clean. The reef will handle that long-period energy well, so expect some deep, grinding barrels. This is for the crew who know what they’re doing.

After that, Saturday (18th) and Sunday (19th) drop back to smaller, cleaner waves with lighter offshore flows – fun for a smaller board but nothing to write home about. Monday (20th) is similar but with moderate wind. Then Tuesday (21st) through Thursday (23rd) get blown out and messy again. Wednesday the 22nd sees a massive 12ft S swell with short 10-second period, but the onshore cross-wind kills it entirely – honestly, at that size and wind combo, the beach setup would be more appealing for kite surfing.

In short: don’t bother with the first few days unless you’re desperate. Thursday morning (9th) is a brief clean window. The real, genuine alert is Friday morning July 17th – that’s your session. Everything else is either small, windy, or too raw for the average punter.

Rusty

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