Cactus Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, let’s have a look at what’s on offer for Cactus. It’s a reef break, exposed to the SW, and it’s fairly consistent, so it’s got potential. The water temp is sitting at 61°, which is about average for this time of year, so nothing weird there.

We’re kicking off Friday the 17th. The swell is a clean 4ft from the SW, with a solid 16-second period. That’s proper groundswell, and it’s got some decent energy behind it (619). The wind is a cross-offshore breeze, which will keep things tidy. The score is low, but the conditions are clean. It’s a bit of a slow start, but it’s rideable. The combined energy is moderate (619).

Through the weekend, we see the swell drops off. Saturday morning is 3ft, and the energy is down to 215. The wind holds as a cross-off, so it’s clean, but the size is small. Sunday is even smaller in the morning, 1ft, but with a long period again (19 seconds). The afternoon gets a bit of a cross-chop, so it’s not great. The whole weekend is marginal, and the scores reflect that.

The first real standout comes on Tuesday the 21st. The morning session has a 4ft SW swell with a 13-second period. The combined energy is a solid 560. The wind is a light cross-off from the north, and the forecast says “expect very good surf conditions.” It’s a bit of a hidden gem here. The sets will have some power, and the surface will be clean. This is the best early call.

Then we get a bit of a lull. Wednesday the 22nd morning is glassy, with a 3ft swell, but it’s a short period. The afternoon turns choppy. Thursday the 23rd morning sees a jump in size to 6ft, with a 14-second period. The energy is up to 1220, which is strong. But the wind is a cross-shore, and it’s a bit chop. This is solid for intermediate to experienced surfers, but the wind is a letdown. The afternoon is similar, 5ft and 1009 energy.

The absolute best window is Friday the 24th. The morning has a 4ft SW swell, 14-second period, and a clean offshore wind from the NE. The energy is 736. The forecast says “expect very good surf conditions.” This is the standout day. The swell is a good size, the wind is perfect, and the reef will handle the long period well. It’s the day to be out.

After that, the surf quality drops. The rest of the month and into August is mostly poor, with strong onshore winds and choppy conditions. There’s a small window on the 27th morning with a glassy 2ft, but it’s tiny. The 28th gets a 5ft swell but ruined by a strong cross-onshore. The first of August has a clean 4ft, but it’s still marginal.

Overall, the best bet is Friday the 24th. The Tuesday the 21st morning is also a good option. The rest of the 16 days is mostly a write-off, with a long gap of poor surf from the 25th onwards. The reef at Cactus can handle the groundswell, but the wind is the enemy most of the time.

Rusty

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