Cardiff Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for Cardiff Reef. Straight up, I gotta be honest with you – this is a tough stretch. The next two weeks are looking pretty grim for any sort of decent paddle. We’ve got a persistent cross-onshore or onshore wind from the WSW and SW, and the swell is just not delivering. The water is running at 76°F – that’s 8°F warmer than usual for this time of year, which is a real anomaly, but it won’t make up for the lack of waves.

We kick off on Saturday, 1st August, and it’s a write-off. Only 2ft of weak, short-period SSW swell, and the wind is already on it. The combined energy is a measly 204 (moderate), but the comment says it all: poor surf conditions. That theme carries right through the entire first week. Sunday the 2nd through to Saturday the 8th, we’re stuck with tiny 1ft to 3ft waves, mostly from the SW or SSW. The wind is either cross-on or onshore, which is going to leave it choppy and messy. The combined energy stays in the low to mid hundreds, peaking at 451 on the 8th, but it’s all wind swell and no shape. It’s just not worth paddling out.

Now, things start to get a little more interesting going into the second week. On Sunday the 9th, we’re still in the gutter with 3ft and cross-on wind, but through Monday the 10th and Tuesday the 11th, we start to see the period jump up. On Monday the 10th afternoon, we get a 2ft swell from the SW with a 20-second period. That’s proper groundswell, but it’s just too small to do anything with. The energy kicks up to 387 (moderate), but it’s still getting poor surf conditions.

The real standout, if you can call it that, is the period from Thursday, 13th August through to Saturday, 15th August. Here’s where we get a bit of a pulse. On Thursday morning, we’ve got 3ft from the SW, period 16 seconds, but the wind is still cross-on. The afternoon bumps up to 3ft and the wind drops to a light breeze, with the combined energy hitting 531 (strong). The comment is still “marginal” but this is the best we’ll see. Friday the 14th morning has 3ft from the SSW, period 18 seconds, and the energy is at 610 (strong). Again, light cross-onshore wind, but it’s the best wind condition we’ve had. Saturday the 15th morning is similar with 3ft from the SSW, period 16 seconds, and energy at 555 (strong). The wind is still cross-on though.

The problem is, even with this long-period groundswell, Cardiff Reef is a reef break, so it *can* handle that long period, but the waves are just too small. The direction is from the SSW, but the optimum for this spot is WNW. So the swell is coming from a poor angle. The wind never truly goes offshore, staying cross-on or onshore the whole time. For a beginner, these waves are tiny, so it’s not dangerous, but the quality is just not there. For an experienced surfer, there’s nothing to get excited about.

Honestly, if you’re desperate, Thursday 13th August afternoon is the pick of a very bad bunch, with a light breeze and the biggest combined energy of the run (531). But I’d be looking at other spots or just leaving the board in the car. This is a long, dry spell for Cardiff Reef.

- Rusty

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