Black Middens Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, it’s Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you – this is a tough stretch for Black Middens. It’s a sheltered reef setup, and the forecast is showing a real flat spell with almost nothing to get excited about for the next two weeks.

The first real chance to get a wet suit on comes Monday morning, July 20th. The water is sitting at 59.5°F, which is a smidge warmer than average for this time of year, so you might get away with just a spring suit. We’ve got a clean 3.9ft swell pouring in from the NNE with a moderate period of 8 seconds and a combined wave energy of (204). It’s not pumping, but it’s surfable with a light offshore breeze. That’s your best bet. The water temp is a bit above normal, so it’s not a bad day to be out.

For the rest of the week, it’s a slow grind. Monday afternoon and Tuesday drop off fast. The swell fades to 2.3ft, then 2.0ft, with the wind turning cross-off or cross-shore, making things messy. Wednesday morning sees a tiny bump back to 3.3ft (energy 127) and a clean offshore wind, but the forecast still calls it poor. Thursday morning, July 23rd, is frustrating – there’s a tiny 3.0ft swell with the wind dead calm and glassy conditions, but the wave energy is weak (64) and the period is short. It’s a tease.

After that, it’s a long, bleak gap. From Friday July 24th all the way through to the end of the month, the swell barely breaks 1.3ft. The wind is mostly cross or onshore, and the energy readings are pitiful – some are as low as (1). You’re looking at a solid 10-day stretch with no real surf to speak of. It’s the kind of run that’s frustrating but not unusual for this area.

The only glimmer in the distance comes right at the end of the forecast. On Tuesday, August 4th, the afternoon shows a massive pulse of 11.5ft swell from the NNE, with a period of 8 seconds and a massive combined energy of (1415). That’s a lot of water moving. But the wind is cross-onshore at 16 mph, and the report says it’s poor conditions. For a reef setup like Black Middens, that size with onshore wind will be a washing machine. That’s for experts only, and even then, it’s going to be a battle. Honestly, that setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

The only real standout in this entire 16-day window is that Monday morning, July 20th. It’s not firing, but it’s the cleanest, most surfable wave on offer. The rest is a waiting game.

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