Chinamans Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. We’ve got a look at Chinamans, a solid reef break, and it’s a bit of a mixed bag for the next two weeks. Let’s get into it.

The first bit of decent surf hits us on Tuesday, July 21. We’re looking at a clean 5ft swell from the SW, with a nice long 13-second period. The wind is light and offshore from the NNW, so it’s going to be glassy. The water is sitting at 60°, which is pretty much what you’d expect for this time of year. The energy is moderate (821), so there’s some push in the water. It’s a reef break, so that long period groundswell will wrap in nicely. Tuesday afternoon holds up with a similar 5ft swell and clean conditions.

Then things get ugly for a stretch. Wednesday the 22nd through to Sunday the 26th is a write-off. Strong onshore winds, lumpy, choppy, and just poor conditions. The swell gets big, up to 8ft, but it’s all ruined by the wind. You’d be better off staying home.

We get a glimmer on Monday the 27th, but it’s only marginal with a cross-shore wind and that big 8ft swell. It’s not the one.

Now, the standout. Circle Tuesday, July 28. This is the one we’ve been waiting for. The morning is looking absolutely perfect. We’ve got a 10ft SW groundswell with a 16-second period, and the wind is glassy, absolutely dead calm from the ENE. The energy is very strong (5541). This is heavy, expert-level surf. That massive swell and that long period means it’s going to be big, powerful, and walled up. For a reef like Chinamans, this is a dream scenario. Get there early, and be ready. The afternoon stays glassy with a 10ft swell, but it might be a bit more manageable.

The week following has some good options. Wednesday the 29th and Thursday the 30th both offer clean 7ft and 6ft SW swells with offshore or cross-off winds. These are excellent for experienced surfers. The 30th has a particularly nice 17-second period swell in the afternoon, which is a treat.

The surf starts to fade into the first week of August. Friday the 31st and Saturday the 1st are small and marginal. Sunday the 2nd is a write-off with strong winds. But then we get another solid run kicking off Monday, August 3rd. The 3rd brings a clean 6ft to 6ft SW swell with offshore winds, and the 4th is looking even better. Tuesday, August 4th, has a massive 8ft SW groundswell with an 18-second period, and it’s clean. The afternoon session is the pick, with a lighter wind and that same huge, long-period energy (3681). This is another one for the experts only.

To wrap it up: the absolute best of the bunch is Tuesday, July 28, with that glassy, heavy, 10ft swell. The second-pick has to be Tuesday, August 4th, for that big, clean, long-period groundswell. The rest of the time, you’ll have to pick your windows.

Rusty.

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