Catherine Hill Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, giving you the full rundown for Catherine Hill Bay in feet and knots. Let’s get into it.

The first week is a bit of a mixed bag. We’ve got a slow start with some messy, onshore conditions, but if you’re patient, there’s a real gem waiting for you. The standout is going to be early on Monday, July 20. The water is 65°, which is about average for this time of year, nothing to write home about.

Monday morning, July 20, is the pick of the first week. The wind is going glassy out of the west at 3 knots, and we’ve got a 6ft swell from the ENE with an 11-second period – that’s quality groundswell, plenty of energy to push through. The combined energy reading is 863, which is moderate, but with that clean, glassy surface, it’s going to be smooth. The break is a breakwater, so it’s exposed to the ESE, and the swell is coming from the ENE, which is not the optimum direction but it’s still working. It’s a consistent spot, for beginners, with crowds sometimes – so expect a few heads out but nothing crazy. That’s a nice session.

The following days get a bit choppy. Tuesday morning, July 21, is clean with a cross-offshore wind, but the swell drops to 5ft, with a 10-second period, and the energy is down to 430. It’s still surfable, but not the same level of magic.

Then we get a bit of a lull from Wednesday, July 22, through Thursday, July 23, with small, weak swells and poor conditions. The energy drops to 180 and 41, so you’re looking at small, weak waves. Not worth paddling out.

But then, hold on – Friday, July 24, is a serious one. The morning is firing with an 8ft S swell, a 10-second period, and a massive energy reading of 2333. That’s strong wave energy. The wind is cross-offshore from the WSW at 9 knots, so it’s clean. This is excellent surf, but it’s for experienced surfers only – 8ft is too big for beginners. The swell direction is directly from the south, which is a good match for the exposure. The period is 10 seconds, so it’s not a super-long groundswell, but it’s got plenty of punch. For experienced surfers, this is the best on offer in the whole 16 days.

Saturday, July 25, the morning is glassy again, but the swell drops to 4ft, energy 484, a nice clean session for the less experienced.

The next week, from July 26 to July 31, is mostly a write-off. The wind turns onshore and strong, with rain showers, and the swell is either small or too messy. The energy readings are all over the place, but the conditions are poor. There’s a gap of several days where there’s nothing worth recommending for a surfer.

Then, if you’re looking that far ahead, the morning of Sunday, August 2, is a promising long-range call. The wind is light and cross-offshore from the SW at 3 knots, with a 6ft ENE swell, a 10-second period, and a clean energy reading of 699. The conditions are described as “very good” – but we’re a week and a half out, so it’s a bit less certain. Still, it’s a promising one to keep an eye on.

So overall, the true standout is Friday, July 24 morning for the experienced crew, and Monday, July 20 morning for a cleaner, more relaxed session for everyone else.

Rusty

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