Cable Station Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get into it. This is Rusty, and I’m looking at the outlook for Cable Station Reef.

Alright, so, overall, the pattern here is a bit of a slow burn with some real promise later on, but we gotta get through some average conditions first. The water temp is sitting at about 63°, which is well below what you’d expect for this time of year – we’re talking much colder than normal.

The first real sniff of decent surf comes in on Monday the 27th of July. Saturday and Sunday are write-offs with messy, cross-onshore wind and choppy conditions; Sunday afternoon actually picks up some serious energy (1926 combined swell energy), but the wind just ruins it. But Monday morning, we get a reprieve. A clean 7ft swell from the WSW with a solid 13-second period and a light cross-offshore wind from the SSE. The energy is moderate to strong (1458). This is good for experienced surfers, the shape should be there, and the paddling out won’t be a nightmare with that longer period. Keep in mind, a long period swell like this can be a bit straight at beach breaks, but here at the reef it should line up nicely. Crowds can be an issue here as it's often busy.

Then we go into a nice little run from Tuesday the 28th of July through to Friday the 31st of July. The standout is definitely Tuesday. Tuesday morning you’ve got a clean 5ft swell from the WSW, a 14-second period, and true offshore wind from the east. That’s clean surf all day – gentle offshore in the morning and glassy by the afternoon with only 3 mph breeze. The energy is solid (985). This is the best of the first week.

Wednesday and Thursday see the swell drop a bit, but the wind stays favorable, keeping things clean. Thursday afternoon might be worth a look for the novelty of a super long period wave (20 seconds) but it’s onshore so the surface won’t be perfect.

Friday the 31st of July morning looks clean again with a 4ft swell from the WSW and a 16-second period. That’s good energy (1090) and nice conditions.

Heading into the start of August, Saturday the 1st of August is a solid day. 6ft swell from the WSW, 15-second period, and clean conditions all day with offshore wind in the afternoon. That’s a ripper day for experienced surfers.

Then we hit a bit of a weird patch. Sunday the 2nd kicks up to a 8ft WSW swell but the wind goes messy. From Monday the 3rd through to Tuesday the 4th, things get nasty with strong winds, big rain, and messy surf. The swell gets huge on the 5th of August – we’re talking 15ft from the WSW with energy readings over 7600. That’s massive. The guidance says it’s too big for this break, so that’s strictly for the experts or maybe not at all.

Thursday the 6th of August is a real standout in the second week for the big wave crew. Morning sees a 10ft WSW swell with a 16-second period, and the wind is a light cross-offshore from the NNE. Energy is brutal at 4810. That is powerful, clean, and for experienced surfers only. After that, the energy remains high but the wind turns more onshore.

The final days, from the 8th to the 9th of August, see another massive spike. We’re talking 11ft to 13ft swell with energy in the thousands, and finally, true offshore winds from the east. It’s clean and huge, but again, the file is clear that this is predicted to be too big for this break. If you’re a gun surfer looking for a challenge, this is your window, but the average punter should stay well clear.

So to sum it up: The best bet for clean, manageable waves in the first week is Tuesday the 28th of July. For the big stuff, Thursday the 6th of August morning is your target, but it’s for experts only.

Rusty.

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