Blacks Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Hey folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s happening at Blacks Reef over the next couple of weeks.

Right now, we’re in a bit of a lull. The surf is small and the conditions are just average. There’s a little bit of clean surf on offer, but it’s honestly nothing to get excited about just yet. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The first real standout is going to be Friday, July 17th. We’ve got a solid 5ft south-east swell rolling in with a nice long 15 second period – that’s proper groundswell energy. The wind is going to be glassy, absolutely dead calm in the afternoon, which means it’s gonna be clean as a whistle. The combined energy is sitting at 1243, which is a solid moderate pulse. This is a reef break, so that long period will really wrap in nicely. The offshore direction is from the north, and the optimum swell direction is from the south, so it’s a perfect match. The waves will be punchy and well-shaped. This is definitely the best on offer for experienced surfers – the size is over 5ft, so it’s not for beginners. Crowds are often here, so expect company.

Then we hit a bit of a rough patch. Saturday the 18th through Sunday the 19th, the wind gets messy and onshore, and the swell gets bumpy and blown out. Then Monday the 20th, we’ve got some 8ft short-period stuff (8 seconds) with cross-onshore wind – it’s gonna be junky and choppy. Not worth paddling out for.

Now, here’s the long-range promise. From Tuesday, July 21st, all the way through to the end of the window, the swell just goes nuts. We’re talking 13ft to 20ft east-south-east swell with moderate energy readings in the thousands (up to 10938). That’s way too big for Blacks Reef – it’s a reef break and that size is dangerous for all but the most expert charger. The wind is actually clean or cross-off most of those days, but the swell is just too much. It’s a real shame, because if it were half the size, it’d be an all-timer.

The one exception in that big swell window is Sunday, July 26th morning. We’ve got a 10ft east swell with glassy conditions and a 12 second period. That’s still big, but it’s a bit more manageable, and the conditions are excellent. Still, only for the experts.

So, to wrap it up: your best bet is Friday, July 17th. The rest of the window is either tiny and average, or too big and wild. Keep your eyes on the forecasts for that 17th – it’s the one.

Rusty.

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