Broken Head Surf Forecast and Surf Report

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

Straight up, I’m not gonna lie to you – this is a rough stretch. We’ve got a solid run of strong, raw energy coming through, but the wind is a dirty cross-off or cross-shore for most of it, and the conditions are just messy. The first real surf kicks off on Thursday the 16th, but it’s a big, chunky swell with a lot of wind on it, so it’s more of a battle than a pleasure. The water temp is sitting at 69°, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year, so no worries there.

The standout period is actually the middle of next week. Wednesday the 22nd and especially Thursday the 23rd look like the best chance we’ve got. On Thursday morning at Broken Head, the swell drops to a cleaner 4ft from the east, and the wind goes glassy – that’s the magic word. It’s a point break, so it’ll handle that east swell nicely, and the glassy conditions will make it look like a mirror. The combined energy is way down to 230, which is weak, but for a clean, small wave, that’s often the sweet spot for a beginner-friendly point. Crowds are often here, so expect company.

Before that, from the 16th to the 21st, it’s all big, windy, and messy. We’re looking at 12ft to 15ft swells (moderate to strong wave energy, reading between 2217 and 3815), but with strong cross-off winds (22-25 mph), it’s just a washing machine. The short period of 8-9 seconds on those early days means it’s messy, lumpy, and not offering much shape. This is kite-surfing territory, not paddle surfing.

After that Thursday 23rd glass-off, the outlook goes flat. From Friday the 24th right through to the end of the month, the swell drops to tiny – 0.7ft to 4ft – with very weak combined energy (often under 150). The wind is a mix of cross-off, onshore, and glassy, but there’s just no wave to work with. There’s a tiny spike on the 30th with a 3ft SSE swell and a long period of 11 seconds, but it’s a single afternoon, and the energy is still weak. The 31st sees a 6ft south swell pop up, but with a fresh 19 mph south wind, it’s going to be a blown-out mess.

So, bottom line: the best of a bad bunch is Thursday morning, the 23rd of July. Small, glassy, and clean at Broken Head. Everything else is either too windy, too big, or too small to bother with. It’s a long gap of flatness after that, so if you’re keen, you’ve got to hit that window.

Rusty.

Read more