Blacks Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty. Let’s have a look at the 16-day window for Blacks Reef.

Right off the bat, there’s a rough patch ahead. The first few days are ugly – Friday the 10th and Saturday the 11th are a complete write-off with strong onshore winds and a messy, lumpy 13ft to 7ft swell. That’s not surf, that’s a washing machine. We’ll be sitting on the beach for that.

Things start to settle down a bit from Sunday the 12th, but it’s still marginal. The swell drops to 5ft on Sunday morning with a light cross-onshore, and by the afternoon it’s down to 3ft with a clean onshore wind, but period is a nice 13 seconds. Still, not worth paddling out for.

Monday the 13th is the first real glimmer. The swell is only 3ft, but the wind goes clean offshore from the north in the morning, and the water is a bit colder than usual at 56°. The combined energy is weak (265), so it’s small, but it’ll be glassy and fun for a beginner on a longboard.

Tuesday the 14th through Wednesday the 15th is tiny – 1ft to 2ft – with clean but weak conditions. Not much happening.

Then we get a pulse on Thursday the 16th. The morning sees 3ft swell from the SE with a 18-second period – that’s proper groundswell, very long period. The combined energy jumps to 628 (moderate). But the wind is cross-offshore from the NW, so it’ll be clean. The afternoon gets better: 5ft, same long period, and energy up to 1084. This is the best of the first week. The long period means it’ll be better shaped and more powerful, but at a reef break like this, it could be a bit straight for the beachies. Still, a solid window.

Friday the 17th and Saturday the 18th turn ugly again with strong cross-on winds and lumpy 5ft to 6ft swell. That’s a mess.

Sunday the 19th is marginal again, small 3ft with a light cross-shore.

Now, the standout period. Look at Wednesday the 22nd of July. This is the one. Morning: glassy conditions, 15ft swell from the SSE, with a 10-second period. The combined energy is massive: 6272 (very strong). That is a serious swell. The wind is glassy – perfect. This is a big one, but warning: 15ft is too big for beginners and only for experts. The afternoon stays clean with 12ft and cross-offshore wind. This is the best on offer, but it’s a long way out – nearly two weeks – so keep an eye on the forecast.

Thursday the 23rd of July is also a gem. Gentle offshore wind from the NNE, 10ft swell from the SSE, period 10-11 seconds. Excellent conditions for experienced surfers. Combined energy is strong (2167). Again, this is expert territory.

After that, Friday the 24th and Saturday the 25th drop back to marginal with onshore winds and smaller 4ft to 8ft swell.

So, to sum it up: the first week is mostly a write-off except for a small clean window on Monday the 13th and a decent groundswell on Thursday the 16th. The real magic is on Wednesday the 22nd and Thursday the 23rd – big, powerful, glassy or offshore, but only for the experienced crew. Crowds are often here, so expect company on those days.

Rusty

Read more