Blue Bowls Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then, let’s have a look at what’s on offer for Blue Bowls over the next couple of weeks. This is a reef break, and the water is sittin’ at 85.3°, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

First thing to say is, the start of the period is a bit messy. Through Friday the 3rd and into Saturday the 4th, the swell’s there – around 3.3ft to 4.3ft from the SSW and SSE – but the cross-shore wind creates a bit of a chop. The combined energy is moderate, sitting between 580 and 725, so there’s some push, but it’s not clean. The forecast calls it marginal, and I’d agree; you’d be working for average ones.

Sunday the 5th still isn’t firing. The swell drops to 3.0ft, the wind is cross or cross-on, and it’s a gentle breeze stirring it up. Not the day to get excited about.

Now, Monday the 6th is where things start to look up. Morning at Blue Bowls has a glassy surface with virtually no wind – just 3 mph from the WSW – and a clean 2.6ft swell from the SSW with a long period of 15 seconds. That’s a proper groundswell, and with combined energy at 536, it’s moderate but really well-formed. This is a standout for the near term. The swell direction is pretty much right on the money for the optimum SE direction that this reef likes, and with the reef setup, that long period will wrap in nicely. Crowds might show up here sometimes, but it’ll be worth it.

Tuesday the 7th is another beauty. Morning is dead calm, 2.6ft from the SSW, period of 14 seconds, and glassy as a mirror. The afternoon picks up a light offshore from the north – clean, clean, clean. This is another standout window.

Wednesday the 8th offers a bit of a change. The swell shifts to 3.6ft from the SE with a shorter period of 9 seconds, so more windswell energy, but the morning and afternoon are both glassy. Combined energy is moderate at 367 for the morning, then a solid 602 in the afternoon from a long-period S swell. That afternoon session with the glassy calm winds is a good shout.

From Thursday the 9th through to Saturday the 11th, it’s a mixed bag. Sizes hover around 3.0ft to 3.6ft, but the wind is mostly cross-on or light onshore, so it’ll be a little bumpy. Not terrible, but not the clean stuff we saw earlier. The combined energy sits between 417 and 584 – still moderate, but you’ll be picking the eyes out of it.

Sunday the 12th brings back some quality. Morning glass, 4.3ft from the south with a 13-second period, combined energy at 686. Clean and punchy. The afternoon holds up with a 3.9ft south swell and a light cross-off breeze from the WNW. That’s a very solid day.

Monday the 13th and Tuesday the 14th both have clean conditions with cross-off or glassy winds. Swell sits at 3.6ft to 3.0ft, and the period is still decent at 12 to 16 seconds. Combined energy ranges from 490 to 730. Consistent, lined-up waves, and the reef will love that long-period groundswell. These are reliable, good days.

Things start to get a bit more interesting from Wednesday the 15th onward, but the quality drops a little. Dirtier winds and more onshore flow. Then we hit the long-range window around Thursday the 16th of July. The swell suddenly jumps up – 4.6ft on Thursday afternoon from the SSW with a very long 18-second period. Combined energy rockets to 1541, which is strong. That’s big, powerful groundswell. But the wind is onshore from the SSE at 6 mph, so it’s going to be a bit messy. This is better for experienced surfers; 4.6ft with that kind of period will have plenty of grunt. The crowd factor is a concern – it’s likely to be busy.

Friday the 17th sees the swell peak at 5.2ft in the morning, period 16 seconds, combined energy at 1465. Again, strong, but the onshore wind from the south at 12 mph will really chop it up. This wave state is marginal at best for paddle surfing – the setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. Beginners should stay well clear; it’s only for experts.

Saturday the 18th is a write-off. Afternoon shows a 5.6ft SSE swell with an onshore breeze at 12 mph and combined energy at 1105. The forecast says poor surf conditions, and I’ve got to be honest with you, that’s the call. Another one more suited to the kite crowd.

So, the best on offer is clearly the glassy mornings of Monday the 6th and Tuesday the 7th, and then again on Sunday the 12th and Monday the 13th. Those will be the standout sessions. The long-range big swell mid-July has promise but is less certain with the onshore wind likely to ruin the party. We’ve got a gap of a couple of days at the start, but

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