Blacks Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s coming down the line for Blacks Reef.

We’ve got a pretty interesting run ahead. The water’s a bit colder than normal for this time of year, sitting at 54°, which is a chilly 3° below average, so you’ll want a decent suit. The first few days are a slow burn, but there’s some serious grunt building for the end of the month and into September.

The opening on Thursday the 20th is a write-off. We’ve got a 6 ft south swell, but it’s short-period windswell at 8 seconds, and that 12 mph southerly is blowing straight onshore. It’s poor, with moderate wave energy (868) and messy. Don’t bother paddling out; just watch from the cliff.

The real action kicks off on Friday morning, August 21st. A proper south groundswell rolls in at 6 ft with a very long 16-second period. The combined energy jumps way up (1914), and with a light 3 mph northwesterly keeping it cross-offshore, it’s clean. This is excellent surf for experienced surfers. The swell is a bit over 5 ft, so beginners might find it a handful, but for anyone comfortable in that size, it’s a standout. The wind stays nearly as good on Friday afternoon with an easterly cross-off, and the swell holds at 6 ft with that same long period (1504 energy).

Saturday the 22nd sees the swell ease a bit to 4 ft, still a solid south groundswell at 12 seconds. The morning is clean with a cross-off northwest breeze, but the afternoon is the real treat. The wind drops to glassy, dead calm (345 energy). That’s clean surf, pure and simple, and a good option for the intermediate crowd. It’s a decent window, though the swell is dropping.

Things get small from Sunday the 23rd through the middle of the following week. There’s not much to get excited about—waist-high leftovers with onshore or cross-shore winds. A bit of a gap in the quality.

The next standout is no joke. On Sunday, August 30th, we see a massive pulse of south groundswell. It’s 13 ft in the morning with a 16-second period and a colossal combined energy of 7714. That is a serious, serious amount of water moving. The wind is light and offshore from the north, but this is way too big for anyone but expert-level surfers. It’s a true big-wave event. The afternoon holds at 12 ft with the same long period and an offshore breeze (5403 energy). If you’re not an expert, stay on the beach.

Following that, Monday, August 31st is still pumping. The morning has a 8 ft south swell with a 14-second period and offshore wind (2208 energy). That’s excellent for experienced surfers. The afternoon is the headline act for the whole forecast: 10 ft of south swell at 16 seconds, light offshore from the NNE, and exceptional conditions for experts (5012 energy). This is the one to circle on the calendar, but it’s definitely for the big-wave crew only.

After that, the swell slowly winds down through the first days of September, with some lighter winds on offer, but the quality drops off as the period shortens and winds swing onshore. There’s a flash of clean, glassy conditions on Friday morning, September 4th, with a 7 ft south swell at 8 seconds (543 energy). It’s a short-period swell, so it might be a bit fat, but there’s energy there and zero wind.

Overall, the best bets for a decent paddle are the Friday and Saturday of the first week. For the experts, that last weekend of August into Monday is a no-brainer. Just be ready for heavy water.

Rusty.

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