Chinamans Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's coming our way.

We’ve got a classic winter stretch ahead for Chinamans. The surf is already running with a solid 7ft Southwest groundswell, but the wind's a bit messy right now, so we’re looking at the coming days for the real clean windows. The water’s sitting at 60°, which is pretty much spot on for the time of year, nothing weird there.

Wednesday afternoon is a write-off. There’s a 7ft SW swell out there, but the cross wind has it looking messy and marginal. Best to just wait it out.

Now Thursday is where it starts to get good. Thursday morning we’ve got a clean 5ft SW groundswell with a light cross-offshore breeze from the NNE. The energy is moderate (1083), and it’s building. But Thursday afternoon is the real gem. That swell bumps up to a clean 6ft from the SW, period stretches to 17 seconds, and the wind goes fully offshore from the NW. The energy picks up (2134), and that wave will have some serious push. That’s the standout of this first part of the forecast.

Friday morning keeps the good times rolling with a clean 5ft SW swell and a moderate offshore from the NNW. Solid energy (1232) and the wave quality will be excellent for those who know the peak. The afternoon fades a bit with stronger wind and a drop in quality.

The weekend gets wild and ugly. Saturday we’re looking at a messy 10ft windswell with barely 8 seconds of period and a screaming 28 mph onshore wind. That’s not surf, that’s a washing machine. The energy is moderate (1103 – 1874) but totally blown out. Sunday is still chunky with 8ft swell but the wind is cross-off and strong, keeping it rough. That whole weekend stretch is a pass, and only a kite surfer would be having fun there.

We get a clearer picture moving into the new week. Monday the 13th sees a thumping 12ft SW groundswell with a 16-second period, but the wind is cross and strong. The combined energy is moderate to strong (5796). By Monday afternoon, the wind backs off slightly and the energy jumps to a whopping 6519. Still strong winds but the wave shape might be there for experts. Tuesday the 14th is the absolute peak of this swell – a 10ft SW groundswell, 16-second period, and the energy hits a massive 8135 by morning. The wind is cross-off but fresh. It’s big, it’s powerful, and it’s only for the experienced crew. For a surfer who can handle it, that's a proper session.

After that, the swell starts to fade mid-week. Wednesday the 15th and Thursday the 16th see onshore winds ruining the quality as the swell drops back to 5ft. A gap of poor conditions there.

Then we get another nice little window. Friday the 17th afternoon is looking glassy. A 5ft SW groundswell with no wind at all – that’s the kind of conditions you dream of at this break. The energy is moderate (1123), and it’ll be clean and rippable.

We have a small, clean window on Saturday the 18th with a 3ft SW swell and offshore wind, but it's small. The real long-range standout is Sunday the 19th. A solid 6ft SW groundswell with a very long 19-second period and a fresh offshore from the north. The energy is moderate (2392). That combination of a long-period groundswell and clean offshore wind at Chinamans is a recipe for some proper, lined-up reef waves. That’s the one to circle on the calendar.

Monday the 20th brings very strong offshore winds and a long-period 3ft swell (21 seconds!), but it’ll be tough to paddle into, even if it’s clean. Tuesday the 21st afternoon has a marked improvement with an 12ft WSW groundswell, 16-second period, and a light cross-off breeze. Exceptional for experts. After that, the swell hangs around but the wind turns cross and onshore, and by Thursday the 23rd, it’s all gone again.

Overall, the best on offer is Thursday afternoon the 9th for a classic, easy session, and Sunday the 19th for the long-period groundswell with offshore winds for the dedicated crew who know the reef.

Rusty.

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