Chinamans Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. We’ve got a solid 16-day window ahead with one clear standout, so let’s get into it.

The overall pattern kicks off Monday afternoon, July 20, with a good pulse of SW groundswell at Chinamans, a reef break. We’re looking at 5ft of swell from the southwest, with a period of 15 seconds – that’s some proper long-period groundswell, meaning plenty of energy and shape, but it’ll be more forgiving at this reef setup than a beach break. The wind is light offshore from the NNW, keeping things clean and glassy. The water is sitting at 60°, which is about average for this time of year. The combined swell energy is quite strong at 1045, so there’s some punch behind it. This is an advanced break, so it’s not for the beginners, but the quality is excellent. Crowds are possible here, so keep an eye out.

Now, Tuesday morning the 21st holds similar conditions – still 5ft at 13 seconds, with gentle offshore wind, making for very good surf. The energy drops a touch to 821, but it’s still a solid session.

From Wednesday the 22nd through to the 26th, things get messy. A fresh cross-shore wind kicks up, lumpy chop sets in, and the quality drops. The swell hangs around 5ft to 10ft, but with poor wind conditions, it’s not worth paddling out for a proper surf. That Thursday the 23rd sees 8ft to 10ft, but with strong cross-onshore wind, it’s just a washout. This is more for kite surfers than paddle surfers during that stretch.

Then we get a bit of a breather on Monday the 27th. The morning is small at 4ft with light cross-shore wind, but it’s the afternoon that sparks up: 8ft of swell, cleaner conditions with a cross-off breeze, and a solid 10-second period. The energy is strong at 1714. This is a promising window for experienced surfers again.

But the real standout – the one you want to circle on the calendar – is Tuesday morning, July 28. We’ve got a big 10ft groundswell from the SW, with a very long period of 19 seconds. That’s a rare, deep ocean pulse. The wind is fresh offshore from the NNW, creating clean, groomed faces. The combined energy is massive at 7066. This is expert-only territory; the size and power will be intense. The period is so long that the sets will be widely spaced, giving you time to paddle out, but the wave shape will be excellent on this reef. This is the best on offer.

After that, the surf slowly drops through the end of July and into early August. Wednesday the 29th still has 10ft from the SW, but with rain showers and a cross-off wind, it’s more marginal. By the 30th and 31st, we’re down to 6ft and then 4ft, with cleaner conditions but lower energy.

The first few days of August see strong offshore winds, but the swell is small – around 5ft to 5ft. The wind is strong, making paddling out a challenge, but the waves are clean. For the experienced surfer, there’s still some fun to be had, especially Monday afternoon August 3rd with 3ft, light offshore wind, and a long 14-second period. Clean and tidy.

The final day, Tuesday August 4th, gives us a light 3ft from the SW, but with a long 16-second period and gentle offshore wind. It’s a nice, small, clean end to the run.

So to sum it up: the first few days are good, then a rough patch, then a big standout on the 28th, then a gradual taper. Don’t sleep on that Tuesday morning.

Stay salty,
Rusty

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