Blacks Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, let’s get into it. The outlook is all about Blacks Reef – a reef break that’s exposed to the south swell.

First up, we’ve got a little pulse of swell rolling in from the ESE on Thursday 30 July. Swell is a modest 4 ft, with a period of 11 seconds, meaning it’s a nice groundswell that’ll wrap in with some decent energy. The combined energy is sitting at 488 – moderate. The wind is a cross-off from the NNW at 9 mph, so the surface will be clean. The water temperature is 55°, which is a bit colder than usual for this time of year, so you’ll want a good suit. It’s a consistent spot, so it’ll be breaking, but expect crowds because it’s often busy. This is the best on offer for the early part of the forecast.

Friday 31 July drops off a little. Morning has 3 ft swell, still that 11-second ESE groundswell, but the wind is a cross-off from the NW at 12 mph. The energy is 240 – weak. The afternoon gets worse with a cross shore wind making it messy. Not worth paddling out for.

Then we hit a big gap. Saturday 1 August and Sunday 2 August are blown out. On Saturday morning, we’ve got a 10 ft SSW swell but the wind is a cross-on at 19 mph, and the energy is 1543 – strong. It’s lumpy and poor. Saturday afternoon, the onshore wind is 22 mph with a 13 ft S swell (3474 energy – very strong). That’s a mess. Sunday morning brings a 10 ft S swell with a 12-second period and light cross-on wind, but it’s marginal. The energy is 2185 – strong. The setup here is more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Monday 3 August is still marginal. The wind is cross-shore and choppy, with a 6 ft S swell. Not the day.

Tuesday 4 August is tricky. The swell is 6 ft from the S with a 15-second period – that’s a very long period groundswell. The energy is 1844 – strong. But the wind is onshore, so it’s a bit lumpy. The tide or something else is questionable. Not a standout.

Wednesday 5 August is similar onshore wind and lumpy. Skip it.

Now, here’s the real standout. Thursday 6 August, morning. The wind goes glassy – NNW at 3 mph. The swell is 5 ft from the S with a 12-second period. The energy is 604 – moderate. The conditions are glassy, clean, and the surf is “very good.” This is your best bet for clean, fun waves in the first week. The reef will handle that long period swell well.

Friday 7 August morning brings a 10 ft SSW swell with an 8-second period – that’s short period, so it’ll be a bit fat and wobbly. The energy is 1402 – strong. The wind is cross-off from the E at 6 mph, so it’s clean. But the swell is over 8 ft, so this is for experts only. The afternoon is still 10 ft S swell but with a 10-second period and 1969 energy – strong. Still clean but big.

Saturday 8 August morning is clean again with a 8 ft S swell, 10-second period, and 1093 energy – moderate. Wind is offshore from the N at 3 mph. That’s excellent for experienced surfers.

Sunday 9 August morning is glassy again with a 5 ft S swell, 13-second period, and 872 energy – moderate. The afternoon is clean with a cross-off wind and 6 ft S swell. Both are very good.

Monday 10 August morning is offshore with a 4 ft S swell, 11-second period, and 446 energy – weak. Good for a small wave session.

Tuesday 11 August is marginal with cross-off wind and 6 ft E swell, 9-second period. The energy is 529 – moderate. Not a standout.

Wednesday 12 August afternoon is worth a look. Offshore wind from the NNE at 6 mph, 5 ft E swell, 11-second period, and 831 energy – moderate. The surf is “very good.” This is a promising small window.

Thursday 13 August morning is glassy with a 4 ft E swell, 12-second period, and 375 energy – weak. Clean but small.

Friday 14 August is a drop-off. 2 ft ESE swell, 10-second period, and 99 energy – weak. The wind is offshore but strong at 16-19 mph. The surf is poor.

So, the best on offer overall is Thursday 6 August morning – glassy, clean, 5 ft S swell. That’s the one to circle. The other standout is Saturday 8 August morning for the bigger, clean 8 ft S swell for the experienced crew. In the second week, Wednesday 12 August afternoon shows promise but it’s further out, so less certain.

Rusty.

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