Blacks Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. We’ve got a solid run of surf coming up at Blacks Reef, if you know where to look. The water is sitting at 53°, which is a bit colder than we’re used to for this time of year, so maybe zip that wetsuit up a touch tighter.

The waves start arriving on Monday the 24th of August. Monday morning is a bit of a write-off – a light cross-shore and barely a ripple. But by Monday afternoon, things clean up nicely. The wind swings light offshore, and we’ve got a clean 4ft SSW groundswell pushing in at a very long 14 seconds. The energy is moderate (714), but with that period and light wind, it’s a sweet, lined-up reef wave. It’s a good one for beginners, given the size and the consistent nature of the break, though you’ll likely have company because crowds are often here.

Tuesday the 25th keeps the quality up. Morning is clean with a light WNW cross-off wind and a 4ft S swell at 12 seconds (468 energy). Then Tuesday afternoon turns glassy with a 4ft S swell. That’s the kind of session you live for – smooth, slow, and no wind.

Wednesday the 26th is another beauty. The swell drops to 3ft in the morning, but the period is an incredible 18 seconds. That’s a very long groundswell, and the energy is still moderate (519). It’s going to be clean and long-walling. Wednesday afternoon is glassy again with a 3ft, 16-second swell. This is pure, clean reef surfing.

Now, the standout. Thursday the 27th of August. The morning brings a 6ft S swell at 18 seconds. The combined energy jumps to 1982 – that’s a strong pulse. The wind is a light cross-off, and conditions are described as excellent for experienced surfers. This is it. The size is pushing into the territory where beginners might struggle, but for anyone with a bit of experience, this is the pick of the forecast. The sets will be long, powerful, and clean. Thursday afternoon gets a bit bigger at 7ft, but the wind picks up a notch, so stick to the morning.

Friday the 28th is still good, with a 5ft S swell and a moderate breeze. It’s clean, but not as pristine as Thursday. Saturday the 29th sees the swell easing back to 3ft with a light offshore wind in the morning. It’s a good, fun wave, but not the standout.

After Saturday, the surf drops off. Sunday the 30th and Monday the 31st are poor, with small, messy, cross-onshore wind. There’s a gap of a few days of nothing much.

Then, mark your calendar for Tuesday the 1st of September. The swell is predicted to be way too big for this break – 12ft to 13ft with a 15-second period. The energy is astronomical (5663 to 7512). That’s an expert-only, monster swell. The wind is glassy on the afternoon, but it’s simply too much water moving for Blacks Reef to handle. It’ll be dangerous. The rest of that week is blown out by strong wind or rain, with a few clean windows but nothing to get excited about except a promising Monday morning the 7th of September, with a 6ft S swell and light cross-off wind.

So, to wrap it up: the best bet without a doubt is Thursday morning, the 27th of August. The swell direction from the south is perfect for the break, the wind is light and offshore, and the quality is top-notch. Just be aware it’s for the more experienced crew. The Tuesday morning the 1st of September is a monster, but it’s just too big to be good.

Rusty.

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