Cactus Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the menu for Cactus.

Alright, we're looking at a real mixed bag of a 16-day stretch. The first week has some serious potential, especially if you're looking for a clean, powerful wave, but the wheels start to come off towards the end of the second week. There's a clear standout in the early days, so let's get into it.

The action kicks off on Saturday the 4th of July with a solid, long-period groundswell from the SW. Wave energy is moderate to strong (917) with 6ft sets. The wind is a light cross-off from the ESE, keeping the surface clean. It's not the biggest, but the quality is there. Come Sunday the 5th, and things get really interesting. We've got a 6ft SW swell with a very long 17-second period, pushing the combined energy up to a strong 2191. The wind is clean offshore from the ENE. This is the session to circle on your calendar – the swell direction is right in the sweet spot for this reef, and the conditions are lining up for some proper, powerful lines. It's going to be a bit of a handful for anyone who isn't confident in solid surf, but for the experienced crew, this is the pick of the forecast.

Monday the 6th sees the swell drop back but it stays clean with a cross-off breeze. We're looking at smaller, more manageable waves in the 4ft range, so it's a good day to get a few easier ones if Sunday was a bit much. The next few days through to Thursday the 9th see the swell pulse up and down, but the wind stays favourable, mostly cross-off or light offshore. There's a great opportunity on Wednesday the 8th – the wave energy is strong (1880) with 6ft sets from the SW, and by the afternoon the wind goes near-glass (5 km/h), which is a major positive for getting those faces glassy.

The outlook gets bleak from Friday the 10th. The wind turns strong and onshore, and the ocean turns into a messy, lumpy storm. Saturday and Sunday the 11th and 12th are a write-off for proper surfing, with 7ft+ stormy swell and onshore winds. It's not good. Things start to clean up a little again on Monday the 13th, but the wave heights are pushing 8ft and the wind is still cross-on, so it's a raw, challenging prospect. Tuesday the 14th morning, however, is a hidden gem. The wind goes light cross-off from the NNE, the swell is a powerful 7ft from the SW with a long period of 16 seconds, and the combined energy is a very strong 2129. If you've got the skill and the nerve, it could be excellent.

The final few days, from the 15th of July, see the conditions settle back down. We get a return to clean, offshore winds on the 16th with a solid 5ft swell and a long 18-second period. The energy is strong (1343), and the wind is a gentle offshore from the ENE. It's a very strong finish to the run, offering some classic, clean waves. The 17th and 18th are smaller and cleaner, but the wind starts to pick up again, and by Sunday the 19th, a fresh onshore wind kills it off.

The water feels about normal for the time of year, no big surprises there.

This is Rusty, signing off.

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