Blacks Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s coming our way over the next couple of weeks.

We’ve got one spot to focus on: Blacks Reef. It’s a reef break, exposed to the south swell, and it’s very consistent, which means it’ll be offering waves throughout the period. But it’s not all going to be magic. The water temp is sitting at 55°, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year – you’ll want a proper hood and gloves.

The first real glimmer of something good shows up on Monday the 14th. Monday morning is looking like a standout, with that sweet 7ft south swell at 12 seconds. The wind is glassy offshore from the NE, so it’s going to be clean and lined up. This is excellent for experienced surfers only, as that’s a proper size for a reef break. Monday afternoon stays clean too, with a light cross-off breeze, though the swell drops a touch to 6ft. The combined energy is strong (1316 on Monday morning), so there’s plenty of push.

Tuesday the 15th is still fun, with smaller 5ft swell and glassy conditions again in the morning, but the energy drops off quite a bit (480). It’s a nice, easy option for the intermediate crew.

The rest of that first week is pretty average – small, weak waves under 3ft, with only a few clean windows. We get a bit of a tease on Friday the 18th morning with a 4ft SE groundswell (13 seconds) and offshore wind from the NNE. That’ll be clean but still small. The combined energy is moderate at 449.

Now, here’s the big one to keep an eye on. On Saturday the 19th afternoon, the swell jumps up to a chunky 10ft from the south, but it’s short period at 8 seconds – that’s windswell, not a clean groundswell. The wind is light cross-onshore, so it’s going to be a bit of a mess. It’s rated as marginal. Not the one.

The next real highlight comes on Sunday the 20th morning. We’ve got a 6ft south swell, still short period at 8 seconds, but the wind is offshore from the north, light breeze. That’ll clean it up nicely. The combined energy is moderate to strong (739). That’s your best bet for a solid, clean session in the second week, but keep in mind the period is short so it might be a little fat.

After that, it gets gnarly. Monday the 22nd brings a stormy 13ft south swell with howling onshore winds (28-31 mph from the SW). That’s a no-go for paddle surfing – looks more like a kite-surfing set-up. The combined energy is huge (3188), but it’s blown out. That energy drops back on subsequent days, with long-period groundswells (16-17 seconds) coming through on the 23rd, but with strong onshore wind again, so it’s messy and not recommended.

The tail end of the forecast, from the 25th onward, is mostly junk – small, weak, and often onshore. We do get a tiny 1ft clean wave on the 28th from a 17-second groundswell, but it’s barely surfable.

So, to sum it up: Monday the 14th morning is the true standout – biggest clean swell of the window, glassy, and powerful. Sunday the 20th morning is the next best call, with clean offshore wind and a solid 6ft, even if it’s a bit short-period. Between the 15th and the 18th you’ll find small clean waves, but nothing to write home about. The 22nd and 23rd are for the kite crew only.

Stay safe out there, and don’t be shy with the wetsuit.
Rusty.

Read more