Chinamans Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get into it. This is Rusty, and I’m looking at the forecast for Chinamans.

We’ve got a bit of a slow start here. The first worthwhile surf is Friday afternoon, July 3rd, but honestly, don’t get too excited. The swell is a powerful 10ft from the southwest with a 15-second period, and the combined wave energy is massive at 4054, but a strong 12 mph cross-onshore wind is making it choppy and tough. Water temp is sitting at 60°, which is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there. This is one for experienced surfers only, and even then, it’s not the cleanest.

Now, the real standout is Saturday morning, July 4th. The wind drops right out to a glassy 3 mph from the ESE, and we’ve got a 6ft SW swell with a solid 14-second period. The energy is still strong at 1403. This is clean, excellent surf for those who know what they’re doing. It’s the pick of the first week without a doubt.

The rest of the first week is a mixed bag. Sunday morning, July 5th, sees a bigger 8ft SW swell (period 17 seconds, energy 3745), but a 16 mph cross-wind from the ENE messes it up. That swell is getting long in the tooth, and at a reef break like Chinamans, it could be a bit too straight. Too big for beginners anyway.

Monday and Tuesday are smaller with messy cross-shore winds. Not worth paddling out.

Then we hit Friday morning, July 10th. The wind swings to a clean 9 mph cross-offshore from the NE. Swell is a manageable 5ft from the SW, 15-second period, with moderate energy (859). It’s clean, it’s tidy, and it’s a solid option. The afternoon sees even better, with a 12 mph offshore from the NNW, keeping the 5ft swell glassy. This is good, surfable condition.

The following weekend, July 11th (Saturday) , brings a bigger 7ft west swell with a 13-second period. The wind is a clean offshore from the NNW at 16 mph in the morning, easing to 12 mph in the afternoon. This is a powerful swell, only for experts, but it’s clean. The afternoon is the best of the two, with excellent conditions for the experienced crew.

Things go south from Sunday, July 12th. A huge 12ft SW swell (energy a whopping 6411) gets hammered by a 34 mph SW gale. Blown out and dangerous. This continues into Monday, July 13th, with strong cross-shore winds and massive, messy swell. Not surfable.

The rest of the second week is mostly a write-off. Onshore winds and poor conditions dominate right through until the end of the period. There’s a flicker of hope on Friday morning, July 17th, with a decent 5ft SW swell (16-second period, energy 1801) and light cross-onshore wind. It’s marginal, but it’s the best we’ll see for a while.

Then, finally, Saturday, July 18th shows some promise. A 5ft SW swell with a 15-second period, but the wind is a light offshore from the north at just 3 mph in the morning, turning to a clean cross-offshore from the WNW in the afternoon. This is clean, smooth, and a good note to end on.

So, the standout is Saturday morning, July 4th for that glassy, clean swell. The backup is Friday, July 10th for more clean, manageable waves, and Saturday, July 11th for the bigger, expert-level swell with offshore wind. The second half of July is mostly a bust, with only the final Saturday looking decent.

Stay safe out there.
Rusty

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