Blacks Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, listen up, crew. Rusty here. We’ve got one spot on the menu for the next 16 days, and it’s a bit of a mixed bag. Let’s get into it.

First up, our local wave is Blacks Reef. A reef setup, so it’s got that defined peak. The water’s sitting at 55°, which is a touch colder than average for this time of year, so you’ll want a decent wetsuit. The first real action kicks off on Friday, the 17th of July. We’ve got a solid 5ft swell rolling in from the SE, with a very long period of 16 seconds. That’s proper groundswell, packing a lot of punch – the combined energy is a hefty 1755. The wind is a light cross-off from the ENE, keeping things clean. This is excellent surf, but with that size and power, it’s one for the experienced crew only.

Moving into Saturday morning, the 18th, the swell hangs in at 5ft from the SE, but the period drops to 14 seconds and the wind goes cross-shore. It’s a bit messy, with some wind ripples. The afternoon looks rough with onshore wind, so that’s a pass.

Sunday the 19th, the morning has a nice 7ft S swell, period 18 seconds, and a cross breeze. The combined energy jumps to a strong 3233. It’s got the power, but the conditions are a bit so-so. The afternoon sees onshore wind and a smaller 6ft swell.

Now, the standout of the whole run. Tuesday the 21st of July. The morning is absolute gold. We’re looking at 8ft of S swell, period 16 seconds, and the wind is glassy – dead calm. That’s 3200 energy units of pure, clean, powerful swell. It’s a big wave, over 8ft, so this is strictly for the experts who know what they’re doing. The afternoon holds up clean too, with a cross-off breeze and 8ft swell. This is the window to clear your schedule for.

The rest of the week sees the swell drop. Wednesday the 22nd has a manageable 5ft, and by Thursday the 23rd we’re down to 3ft. The wind stays light and glassy at times, so it’s still surfable but small.

After that, we hit a long, flat spell. From Friday the 24th of July right through to Sunday the 27th, the conditions are poor, with strong winds and weak, messy swell. It’s a proper dead period. The combined energy drops below 500, and the wind is howling. Not worth looking at.

The pattern tries to pick up again around the 28th of July, with a 6ft SE swell, but the period is a short, choppy 7 seconds. It’s clean, but the wave quality won’t be there. The last few days of the month and into August have a small, short-period swell on offer, and mostly clean winds, but we’re talking 3-5ft waves with short periods. The combined energy is weak, generally under 500. There’s a chance for a fun little session on the 1st of August, with a glassy 4ft ESE swell, but don’t expect anything epic.

So, to sum it up: the absolute best is Tuesday the 21st of July at dawn. That’s the one. The rest of the first week has some clean, smaller waves, but the second week is mostly a write-off. Keep your eyes on the forecasts, but for now, that Tuesday morning is the session to aim for.

Rusty.

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