Blacks Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s break it down in feet and miles per hour.

Only one spot is talking to us: Blacks Reef. It’s a reef break, fires up all the time, and loves a south swell. Water temp is about normal for the season.

First surf hits Monday morning, July 20th. We’re looking at a 6ft south swell with a 15-second period. That’s proper groundswell. Wind is light from the SSW, so it’s manageable. The energy is moderate (2018). By the afternoon, the swell is pushing 8ft from the south with a very long 19-second period, and the energy jumps to 4093. That’s a lot of water, but the wind is onshore with light rain. It’s a raw one.

Tuesday, July 21st is where the magic happens. The morning has a 8ft south swell (16s, 2706 energy) but the wind is cross-on from the west. Then the afternoon. The swell drops to 7ft, still from the south, with a 15-second period (1796 energy). And the wind goes glassy. Dead flat. That’s the cleanest window of the first week. The south swell and glassy conditions will have Blacks Reef looking like a postcard.

Wednesday, July 22nd keeps the glassy, clean vibe in the morning with a 4ft south swell and a 12-second period (540 energy). That’s a fun, easy wave.

From the afternoon of Wednesday the 22nd through Saturday the 25th, the surf fades out. The swell drops, the wind gets messy, and the energy numbers fall off. It’s a quiet few days.

Then the ocean gets angry. Sunday, July 26th through Tuesday, July 28th, the swell jumps to 10ft, 13ft, and even 16ft, but the wind is a gale or strong breeze from the SW, straight onshore. The energy numbers are massive (1712 to 7789), but it’s a mess. This is for experts only, or kite surfers. It’s too big and blown out for paddle surfing.

Wednesday, July 29th is the second standout. The wind turns to a light NW cross-offshore. We’ve got a 8ft southeast swell, with a 12-second period, and strong energy (2284). Both the morning and afternoon are clean and powerful. This is a proper, heavy session for the experienced crew.

Thursday, July 30th is a nice, clean drop-off. The swell goes from 6ft to 5ft, with glassy wind in the afternoon.

Things get small again through the end of July. Sunday, August 2nd brings a decent session. The morning has a 5ft SSW swell (12s, 859 energy) with a light NW cross-offshore, and the afternoon goes glassy and clean with a 6ft SSW swell (923 energy). A solid, clean day.

The run ends on Monday, August 3rd and Tuesday, August 4th with another pulse of big, stormy, onshore wind. The swell is 12ft to 13ft, but the wind is howling. Too big and messy.

So, the best on offer: Tuesday afternoon, July 21st for that glassy 7ft south swell, and Wednesday, July 29th for the big, clean 8ft southeast swell. Those are the ones.

Rusty.

Read more