Blacks Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. We’ve only got one spot on the menu for this entire outlook, so let’s get into it.

We’re looking at Blacks Reef, a reef break that’s exposed to the south swell. The water is sitting at 55°, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year, so you’ll want a thicker suit.

The first real action kicks off on Sunday, July 19th, but it’s not exactly a dream. We’ve got a solid 7ft south swell running with a very long 17-second period, packing some serious energy (2802). The problem is a moderate onshore wind from the SSW, which is going to mess with the surface. The conditions are questionable, and the score is low. It’s going to be a bit of a battle.

Monday, July 20th, looks a little better. The swell drops slightly to 6ft, but the period is still a very long 15 seconds, and the energy is still strong (2018). The wind backs off to a light breeze in the morning, though it’s still onshore. By the afternoon, the swell bumps up to 8ft with a massive 19-second period and energy soaring to 4093, but again, the onshore wind keeps it from being clean. This is a decent amount of power, but not the best conditions.

Tuesday, July 21st, the swell holds around 7ft to 8ft, but the wind turns light cross-onshore. It’s still not ideal, but you could find a few. The real standout of the whole forecast, however, is Wednesday, July 22nd. In the morning, the swell drops to 4ft with a 12-second period and moderate energy (540), but the wind turns light cross-offshore from the NW. That’s clean. Then, in the afternoon, it gets even better: the wind goes glassy, the swell is a clean 4ft from the south, and the conditions are described as “good.” This is the best window of the entire 16 days. It’s clean, it’s calm, and that reef will be working beautifully.

After that, the swell fades out significantly. Thursday, July 23rd, and Friday, July 24th, see tiny waves dropping from 3ft down to 1ft, and while the wind stays offshore or cross-offshore, there’s just not enough water moving. The energy drops to two-digit numbers, meaning it’s weak.

Then we hit a big gap. From Saturday, July 25th, right through to Sunday, August 2nd, we get a run of poor surf conditions. The wind is strong, onshore, or cross-shore, and the swell is either small or messy. On Monday, July 27th, the swell jumps to 12ft, but it’s accompanied by a strong 25 mph cross-wind, making it a complete mess. Tuesday, July 28th, is outright dangerous with an 12ft swell and near-gale force onshore winds. The energy reads 6165, which is massive, but it’s blown out and totally unsurfable. This is more of a kite-surfing setup than a paddle session.

The outlook finally starts to look up again on Wednesday, July 30th, and Thursday, July 31st. The swell comes back to a clean 4ft with a 12-second period, and the wind is light cross-offshore. The conditions are clean, and the energy is moderate (366-378). This is another good chance to get out. Saturday, August 1st, also looks promising with a 3ft to 5ft south swell, a 15-second period, and light cross-offshore winds. Clean again.

The last couple of days (August 2nd and 3rd) show a return to onshore wind and smaller, choppier surf, so that window from Wednesday, July 22nd, through to Saturday, August 1st, is your best bet.

The clear standout is Wednesday, July 22nd. The afternoon session with glassy conditions and a clean 4ft south swell is the pick of the bunch. The Thursday and Friday, July 30th and 31st, are also very good. Don’t get too excited about the big 12ft days; they’re blown out and dangerous. Keep your eyes on that clean mid-week window.

Rusty.

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