Blacks Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it.

We’ve got a solid window of surf on offer at Blacks Reef, starting this Saturday morning and running through Sunday. The ocean is waking up with a good, clean 7ft south swell, with a nice long 12-second period. That’s proper groundswell energy, and with the combined energy sitting at a strong 1263, you can feel the push. The water is a bit colder than normal for this time of year, sitting at 54°, about 3° cooler than average, so you might want an extra mil of rubber.

Saturday morning is the standout. The swell is coming from the south, which is exactly what this reef wants to see. Wind is light and cross-off from the northwest, keeping things super clean. This is a reef setup, so that long-period swell will wrap in nicely and offer some proper shape. It’s a beginner-friendly break, but with 7ft, it’s pushing into intermediate territory. Crowds are often here, so expect company.

Saturday afternoon holds up with 6ft south swell, still clean with a light cross-off breeze. Not quite as punchy as the morning, but still very good.

Sunday morning drops to 4ft, but the wind goes north at 15 km/h, still cross-off, so it stays clean. By Sunday afternoon, the wind turns offshore from the NNE, and the swell drops to 3ft but the period stretches to 13 seconds. That’s a lovely, clean little wave for the longboard or a fun twinny.

Then we hit a dry spell. From Monday the 10th of August through to the 14th, conditions go downhill. The swell drops, periods shorten, and the wind turns cross-on or onshore. It’s not worth paddling out unless you’re desperate.

There’s a flicker of life on Wednesday the 12th, with offshore winds and a building 5ft swell, but the period is short at 9 seconds and the energy is moderate (317). It’s surfable, but nothing to write home about.

By Friday the 14th afternoon, we get a little spike: 5ft east swell, 8-second period, and light cross-off wind. It’s clean, but short-period stuff is a bit dumpy and messy. Fine for a quick session if you’re bored.

The real trouble starts on Saturday the 15th. The swell balloons to 8ft on the 15th and then goes absolutely nuts. By Sunday the 16th, we’re looking at 12ft, then 16ft on Monday the 17th, and a massive 18ft on Tuesday the 18th. That’s huge, and the wind is mostly cross-on or onshore. This is not for paddle surfing. This setup is way more interesting for kite surfing than anything you’d want to duck-dive into. The combined energy hits 18342 on Tuesday morning – that’s a beast of an ocean. Stay out of the water unless you’re an expert on a big-wave gun, and even then, the onshore wind will make it ugly.

From Wednesday the 19th onward, the swell drops back to 8ft, but the wind stays onshore or cross-on, and the conditions are poor. Thursday the 20th through to Sunday the 23rd is a write-off: messy, choppy, onshore slop. Not worth the drive.

So, to sum it up: your best bet is this Saturday morning (8th of August) at Blacks Reef. Get there early for the cleanest lines. Sunday morning is also a good shout for a smaller, cleaner session. After that, it’s a long wait for anything decent, and the big stuff that follows is for the wind craft, not us.

Rusty.

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