Cactus Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, Rusty here. Look, I’m gonna be straight with you – this 16-day window is a bit of a slow burn, but there’s a real gem waiting for those who are patient. Cactus is the only break on the menu, and it’s a classic reef set-up that’s fairly consistent, so there’s always a chance. The water temp is sitting at 61°, which is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The first proper action worth talking about doesn’t really kick off until Thursday the 24th of July. Before that, we’ve got a solid run of small, clean, but pretty average surf. The swell hangs around 3ft to 4ft from the SW, with periods in the 12-16 second range, which is decent for shape, but the energy is weak – you’re looking at combined energy levels between 208 and 566 (weak). The wind is cross-offshore most of the time, so the waves will be clean, but there’s just not enough push to get excited about. It’s a week of paddling around and maybe getting a few knee-high runners.

Then things start to get interesting. Thursday the 24th of July morning is where I’d start paying attention. The swell bumps up to 5ft from the SW, with a period of 14 seconds, and the combined energy jumps to 970 (moderate). With a light ESE cross-off breeze, it’ll be clean and lined up. That’s the first real sign of life.

But the true standout – and I mean the one you circle on the calendar – is the last day of the month, Thursday the 31st of July. The morning session is looking excellent. We’ve got a 4ft SW swell, but with a very long period of 19 seconds, meaning proper groundswell energy. The combined energy is a solid 2497 (strong), and the wind is a clean offshore from the ENE. That’s a recipe for some perfect, hollow reef waves. The afternoon gets even bigger, with 7ft SW swell at 18 seconds, and 2675 energy (strong), with a light cross-off ESE breeze. This is expert territory – over 8ft is too much for beginners, but for the experienced crew, this is the best on offer. The reef will handle that long-period swell beautifully, so set your alarm.

The day before, Wednesday the 30th of July, also has some promise with 5ft SSW swell and clean cross-off winds, but the 31st is the real winner.

Beyond that, the first few days of the new week (July 27th, 28th) see a big spike in size – 8ft to 10ft – but with strong cross-shore winds and lumpy conditions, it’s a bit of a messy beast. The energy is huge (3114-3971, very strong), but the wind kills the quality. Probably one for the tow crew or the kite surfers, not a clean paddle session.

So, bottom line: the first week is a write-off for good waves. The second week builds slowly, and the 31st of July morning is the absolute standout. Get on it if you can.

Rusty.

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