Blacks Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, Rusty here. We've got Blacks Reef as the only spot on the radar for this 16-day run, and it's a bit of a mixed bag. For a reef break that's normally very consistent, we're looking at a solid window of action, but the timing is everything.

The action kicks off this Wednesday, the 29th of July, with a proper pulse. The morning is the standout – a clean 6ft swell out of the southeast with a long 13-second period delivering some serious push. The combined energy reading is 1043 (moderate wave energy), and with a glassy NNW breeze, you're looking at perfect, smooth lines. This is the best of the bunch, and for a beginner-friendly reef, it's a treat. The water temp is about average for this time of year.

The swell holds through Thursday the 30th, but the wind shifts. The morning sees a 5ft ESE swell with a 12-second period, and though the cross-off wind keeps it clean, it's not the same magic as the Wednesday dawn. The energy drops to 692 (moderate wave energy). Friday the 31st sees it fade with a 3ft swell and messy cross-shore winds, so it's a write-off.

The first weekend is a no-go. Saturday the 1st and Sunday the 2nd of August get hammered by a rising south swell that gets too big and too windy. The swell is 8ft to 12ft, but with onshore winds hitting 28 mph, it's a complete mess. The energy rockets up to 2809 (strong wave energy), but it's for the wrong reasons – this is a kitesurfing special, not a paddle session.

The start of the new week brings a cleanup. Monday the 3rd of August afternoon is a sneaky good one – the swell drops to 5ft out of the SSE with a 10-second period, and the wind goes glassy. The energy is 479 (moderate wave energy), and the conditions are clean. A solid, small-wave option.

The middle of the week gets wild again. Tuesday the 4th and into Wednesday the 5th of August, the swell pumps up to 12ft to 15ft from the south with a 13 to 14-second period. The energy is massive, hitting 8108 (very strong wave energy), but for Blacks Reef, it's just too big. Winds are onshore or cross-onshore, and the forecast itself says it's too big for this break. This is expert-only territory, and even then, it's a battle.

The first real sign of sustained quality returns on Friday the 7th of August. The morning is a stunner – a 6ft SSE swell with a 12-second period, and the wind is offshore from the north. The energy is 1130 (moderate wave energy), and it's clean. This is a proper session for experienced surfers.

Saturday the 8th of August looks even better for the masses. The swell drops to 4ft out of the SSE with a 12-second period, and it's offshore from the NNE all day. The energy is 558 (moderate wave energy), and it's glassy. This is a classic small, clean reef day that will be user-friendly. The crowds are likely here, so get in early.

Sunday the 9th of August holds with offshore winds, but the swell is down to 3ft from the south. The energy is 371 (moderate wave energy), and it's still clean, but it's getting smaller. From Monday the 10th of August onwards, the swell drops away to 3ft and below. The energy dips into the 50–200 range (weak wave energy), and while the winds stay offshore, the waves are small and weak. The last real surfable day in this run is out to about the 11th of August, and then it's a long, flat stretch.

So, to sum it up: the absolute standout is this Wednesday morning, the 29th of July. The backup is the Friday morning, the 7th of August, and the Saturday the 8th of August. The rest is either blown out, too big, or too small. Don't sleep on the Wednesday glass-off.

Rusty.

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