Chinamans Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s see what’s cooking. The swell is coming from the southwest, and Chinamans is a reef break that knows how to handle it. The first few days are a bit of a struggle, but if you’ve got the patience, the second half of this forecast period is packing some serious heat.

Starting off Friday, July 24th, we’ve got a solid 7.5ft southwest swell with a long 15-second period, but the wind is cross-shore from the WSW. The water temp is about where it should be for this time of year. It’s not total junk, but the energy is massive (2418), and the conditions are just a little out of shape. The afternoon cleans up a tick, dropping to 6.9ft, but the wind gets a little stronger.

Saturday, July 25th, the swell drops to 5.9ft, but the cross-shore wind and some rain in the afternoon mean it’s not the one. The energy is still moderate (1115), but the chop is a pain.

Sunday, July 26th, the swell fades to 4.6ft, and the energy drops off a cliff (534). The wind is lighter, but it’s still cross-shore. A small, average day.

Now, Monday, July 27th, is where things start to look up. The swell is down to 4.3ft, but the wind swings offshore from the north – a clean, moderate breeze. The energy is still moderate (628), and the conditions are “very good.” This is a nice little window for a cleaner, smaller session.

Tuesday, July 28th, is a split day. The morning pulses back up to 6.9ft from the west with a moderate cross-offshore breeze and clean conditions. The energy is strong (1767). The afternoon, though, gets ugly. The swell jumps to 8.2ft, but the wind turns cross-onshore and choppy, and the energy is massive (2906). That afternoon is a total write-off.

Wednesday, July 29th, holds a solid 7.5ft to 7.2ft southwest swell, but the wind is onshore or cross-onshore, making it a messy, marginal day. The energy is very strong (over 2000), but the wind is the enemy.

Thursday, July 30th, is a real sweet spot. The swell is a clean 5.2ft in the morning, with a light cross-offshore breeze from the NNE. The energy is still moderate (760). But the afternoon is the real treat – the swell drops to 4.6ft, and it goes glassy with a light WNW breeze. That is a beautiful, clean window.

Then, Friday, July 31st, we get a taste of the big stuff coming. The morning starts with a smaller 3.6ft swell, but the period is a massive 20 seconds – a very long period groundswell. The energy is surprisingly strong (1296) for the height. The afternoon picks up to 5.2ft with a 19-second period, and the wind is clean cross-offshore. The conditions are “excellent” for experienced surfers.

But the standout, the absolute best on offer, is Saturday, August 1st. This is the one. The morning has an 8.2ft southwest swell with an 18-second period, the wind is blowing a clean offshore from the north, and the energy is an enormous 4129. The afternoon gets even better: 9.8ft of southwest swell, 18-second period, and a gentle offshore wind. The energy is a staggering 4982. This is a serious, powerful groundswell. It’s a reef break, so it will handle the long period beautifully, but with that size, it’s strictly for experts. The crowd factor is “sometimes” at Chinamans, so on a day like this, you can expect a few other experienced surfers out there.

Sunday, August 2nd, is still excellent. The morning has 6.9ft with a moderate offshore, and the afternoon cleans up with 8.2ft and a light cross-offshore breeze. The energy is still very strong (2384 and 3077). This is a fantastic follow-up day.

After that, the swell holds through the next week, but the wind starts to change. Monday, August 3rd, is a solid 9.8ft in the morning, but the wind is cross-onshore from the ESE, putting a ripple on the face. The energy is massive (4585), but the quality drops. The rest of the week (August 4th through 7th) sees the swell staying between 6.2ft and 7.2ft, with mostly cross-offshore winds, so it’s still surfable, but not as clean and perfect as that weekend. The energy remains moderate to strong (over 1600). By Friday, August 7th, the swell drops to 3.6ft, and the wind is offshore again, but the energy is low (458). Saturday, August 8th, is the last day with a small 2.6ft swell.

So, to sum it up: the first few days are mediocre. The real fire starts on Thursday, July 30th, with the glassy afternoon, and then the absolute peak is Saturday, August 1st, and Sunday, August 2nd. That’s your window for the best, most powerful

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