Blacks Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what’s coming up for Blacks Reef. The water is sitting at 54°, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year – about 3° cooler than average, so you’ll want a decent spring suit.

We start off on Friday the 24th of July, but honestly, it’s a real struggle. Tiny 1ft south swell with a short period of 10 seconds, and the energy is weak (40). The wind is a cross-off, but the waves are just too small to get excited about. It’s surfable, but very ordinary.

Saturday the 25th sees a little more size, with 3ft from the east, and a longer period of 11 seconds. The morning cross-off wind keeps it clean, and the energy is moderate (195). Saturday afternoon, though, the wind swings onshore from the SW, and the rain starts, making a mess of things. Poor conditions.

Sunday the 26th is a write-off. The swell picks up to 3ft to 4ft from the southeast, with a very long period of 14 seconds, delivering strong energy (672 to 943), but the onshore wind and rain ruin it. That raw power is lost to the chop.

Monday the 27th and Tuesday the 28th are dominated by a big, messy 7ft to 7ft southerly swell. The combined energy is strong (1440 to 1630), but the cross-onshore and onshore winds make it choppy and poor. You’d be fighting a losing battle out there.

Now, here’s where it gets real. Wednesday the 29th of July is the standout. The morning brings a clean 6ft swell from the SE with a solid 13-second period, and the wind is glassy offshore from the north. The energy is very strong (1001), and the conditions are described as excellent for experienced surfers. This is the best on offer – a solid groundswell with clean, offshore lines. The afternoon stays good too, with a cross-off breeze and 6ft from the ESE.

Thursday the 30th is another good day. The swell drops a touch to 5ft, but the wind is kind. Thursday afternoon is particularly special with glassy conditions from the east, and still 5ft of clean swell. The energy is moderate to strong (848 to 663). This is a solid window of quality waves.

After that, the surf fades a bit. Friday the 31st and Saturday the 1st of August are smaller, around 3ft to 4ft, with the wind turning onshore or cross. The conditions are marginal, and the energy drops off (346 to 399). It’s not bad, but it’s a step down from the mid-week run.

Sunday the 2nd of August is another absolute cracker for the experienced crew. Morning brings a glassy 8ft S swell, but the period is short at 8 seconds. The energy is very strong (1031), and the offshore north wind will have it looking perfect. This is powerful, punchy, and clean – but at 8ft, it’s for the experts only. The afternoon is still a very good 8ft.

Then we hit a rough patch. From Monday the 3rd through to Thursday the 6th of August, the wind goes onshore and strong, gusting up to 28 mph from the SE. The swell gets huge – up to 16ft on Wednesday the 5th – with energy readings going through the roof (up to 9232). But the wind is howling cross-onshore, creating a massive, messy, and dangerous sea. This setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing, honestly. The 13ft to 16ft SE swell with that strong cross-breeze is a wild, unmanageable beast.

Friday the 7th and Saturday the 8th of August are still big (up to 10ft) but the wind eases, with the morning of Saturday the 8th showing a light cross-shore. The conditions are still marginal, but it’s definitely a step down in intensity from the stormy days before.

So, bottom line: the best windows are Wednesday the 29th of July, Thursday the 30th of July, and Sunday the 2nd of August. Get on those if you can. The rest of the time is either too small, too windy, or too big and messy for enjoyable paddle surfing.

Rusty.

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