Boneyards Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the table for Boneyards over the next couple of weeks.

We’re kicking off this forecast period with a bit of a wait. Monday the 27th of July is a total write-off – we’ve got a massive 10 ft to 13 ft SW swell slamming in, but a screaming 28 mph cross-offshore wind is making a mess of it. The combined wave energy is absolutely pumping (4949 on Monday morning, and a huge 12242 in the arvo), but it’s poor, ugly, and not worth your time. Tuesday looks a little better on paper with clean 8 ft to 8 ft SW swell and offshore winds, but that wind is still 25 to 28 mph – strong offshore. It’ll be clean and chopped-up looking, but paddling out will be a proper battle. I’d call it marginal at best.

The first real glimmer of hope comes on Wednesday the 29th of July. Morning looks tidy: 6 ft SW swell with a 13-second period, light ENE breezes (6 mph) coming cross-off, and clean conditions. The energy is moderate (1144). For an experienced surfer, this is good, solid fun. The water temp is sitting at 59°F, which is about average for the time of year – nothing unusual there.

Thursday the 30th has a smaller 5 ft to 5 ft SW swell, with a beautiful light offshore in the morning. It’s clean, but the energy drops to 905. A good session if you’re keen, but nothing to write home about. Friday the 31st sees the swell dropping to just over 4 ft, and Saturday the 1st of August offers a 5 ft to 5 ft SW swell. The standout moment on Saturday is the *afternoon* – glassy conditions with a 5 ft SW swell and a 13-second period. That is as clean as it gets. The energy is moderate (649), and it’s a rare chance for some perfectly smooth waves.

Now, the second week gets a bit more interesting, but with bigger risks. Sunday the 2nd and Monday the 3rd of August are blown out by strong northerly winds. Then, Tuesday the 4th of August sees a monster 16 ft WSW swell hit with onshore winds at 25 mph – a total dud.

The next real standout window is Wednesday the 5th of August. It’s a big day: 10 ft WSW swell, a 13-second period, and light 9 mph cross-offshore winds out of the east. The wave energy is strong at 2696, and it’s clean. This is for experienced surfers only – anything over 8 ft is expert territory, and Boneyards is a reef. Later that afternoon, the period jumps to 17 seconds with a 7 ft SW swell – that’s a very long period groundswell. It’ll have heaps of energy (4513) and shape up nicely on the reef, but the wind goes light cross-shore with ripples. A solid day.

If you can hold out, Saturday the 8th of August looks incredible. Morning brings a 13 ft SW swell (15-second period), glassy conditions, and an extraordinary combined energy of 6562. The report flags it as exceptional for experts. This is the best on offer in the whole outlook. Sunday the 9th and Monday the 10th of August still have a solid 10 ft to 12 ft SW swell and clean conditions with light offshore or cross-off winds. The energy stays strong through to the 11th.

One thing to note about Boneyards: it’s a reef break that is inconsistent and rarely breaks, so when it does turn on like this, it’s a special event. The swell direction is coming from the SW and WSW, which is the optimum direction for this spot. Crowds are sometimes an issue here, so on the standout days, expect some company.

The only real standout in this whole 16 days is Saturday the 8th of August – glassy, big, long-period SW groundswell, and excellent conditions for those who can handle it. Wednesday the 5th and Saturday the 1st are the other solid calls. The rest of the window is a mix of marginal conditions, wind-affected waves, or waiting for the next pulse.

Always sign off as Rusty.

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