Chinamans Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's get straight into it. We've got a solid run of surf coming up at Chinamans, a real reef setup that loves a solid SW swell. The water temp is sitting about average for this time of year, so nothing to complain about there.

The action kicks off on Saturday, 18 July. It's a bit of a slow start, but the morning brings a clean 4 ft SW swell with a 14-second period, and a gentle cross-off breeze. The combined energy is moderate (546). It's not the biggest, but the conditions are clean and it's a good way to ease into the weekend. The afternoon continues with a similar story, just a little smaller at 4 ft.

Sunday, 19 July, is where we start to see a shift. The morning is a bit cloudy, but the wind is offshore from the N, and we've got a 3 ft SW swell. The real standout is the afternoon: an offshore NNW wind at 12 mph, with the swell holding at 3 ft but the period jumping to a very long 18 seconds. The energy jumps up to 667 (moderate), and the wave comment says "very good surf conditions." This is a proper groundswell, and on a reef like Chinamans, that long period is going to produce some lined-up, powerful waves. This is one of the best windows.

Monday, 20 July, is another beauty. Offshore winds all day, with a building swell hitting 5 ft by the afternoon out of the SW, with a solid 14-second period. The energy is climbing into the 700s (moderate). The morning is a little cloudy, but the afternoon is clean with a gentle offshore breeze. This is a fantastic day for anyone who's comfortable on a reef.

Tuesday, 21 July, pushes the swell up a notch. The morning sees a 5 ft SW swell, with a 13-second period, and a gentle offshore wind. The combined energy is a healthy 892 (moderate). The afternoon drops slightly to 5 ft but the wind goes cross-off. It's still clean, but the morning is the pick of the day. This is getting into the territory where beginners might find it a bit much, but for the experienced crew, it's game on.

We hit a bit of a lull on Wednesday, 22 July. The wind swings cross-shore, and while there's a 4 ft swell in the afternoon, the conditions are described as "marginal." The clean lines are gone for a bit.

Thursday, 23 July, sees a jump in size to 7 ft SW, but the morning is messy with a cross-onshore wind. The afternoon cleans up with a cross-off breeze, but the forecast is still "marginal." The energy is now strong (1945), so there's plenty of power, but it's not the best quality.

The run from Friday, 24 July, through to Tuesday, 28 July, is a real mixed bag of size and wind. We've got consistent SW swell in the 5 ft to 7 ft range, with the period staying solid. The winds are mostly cross-off, keeping the faces clean, but the "marginal" tag keeps popping up. The energy level is strong, hitting the 1600s and 1800s. The big caveat here is Sunday, 26 July. The morning has a howling 28 mph offshore wind with a 6 ft swell. The wave comment says "strong offshore and clean but hard to paddle into." That's a serious session for experts only, and the wind is so strong it'll be a battle just to get out. The afternoon is a write-off with strong cross-shore winds.

Now, here's a potential standout in the second week. On Wednesday, 29 July, the afternoon suddenly fires up. An 12 ft WSW swell, with a short 9-second period, but it's got an offshore wind and the wave comment says "excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers." The energy is strong (1874). That is a big, powerful slab for experts only. Don't even think about it if you're not confident.

Thursday, 30 July, is a monster. The morning has an 12 ft SW swell with a 14-second period and the energy is very strong (4649). But the wind is cross-onshore. The afternoon is where it gets insane: a 13 ft WSW swell, 14-second period, and the energy is off the charts at 11820. The wind is cross-shore, so it's not perfect, but the sheer power is staggering. This is a session for the brave or the foolish.

Unfortunately, the final few days of the window, from 31 July through to 2 August, are a total blowout. Onshore winds from the S and SSE, strong to fresh, and the surf is just messy and poor. The swell is still there, but you wouldn't want to be out in it.

Overall, the best windows are Sunday afternoon, 19 July, and Monday, 20 July, for the best combination of clean conditions and solid, long-period swell. For the big wave hunters, keep an eye on Wednesday afternoon, 29 July, and Thursday, 30 July, but that's a serious step up.

Rusty.

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