Chinamans Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, let’s talk about what’s on the menu for the next couple of weeks.

Alright, listen up. We’ve got a solid run of swell coming through, but it’s a bit of a mixed bag on the wind front. The first few days are looking clean, then things get a bit messy in the middle of the week before potentially cleaning up again. The standout period is definitely Sunday and Monday, with some of the best conditions we’ll see.

Let’s start with your spot, Chinamans. It’s a reef setup, so it’s a bit more forgiving than a beach break, but it’s still for the more experienced crew. The water’s sitting at 60°, which is about what you’d expect for this time of year, nothing crazy.

Sunday, July 19th: We’re kicking off with a nice, clean morning. There’s a moderate offshore breeze from the North at 12 mph, and we’ve got a 3 ft groundswell from the southwest, with a long 12-second period. The combined energy is moderate (398). It’s not massive, but it’ll be clean and fun. The afternoon looks even better with the same wind, a similar swell, but a very long 18-second period, pushing the energy up to 712. It’s a very good session on the cards.

Monday, July 20th: This is the pick of the early run. Monday morning sees a bit more size with 4 ft of SW groundswell, 15-second period, and a clean offshore breeze from the NNW at 12 mph. Energy is strong at 707. By afternoon, things get really interesting. The swell bumps up to 5 ft with the same period and direction, but the wind eases to a gentle 9 mph offshore. The combined energy jumps to 1045, and the report says it’s excellent for experienced surfers. This is the one to circle.

Tuesday, July 21st: Still a good day. The swell holds at 5 ft in the morning, with a 13-second period and a gentle offshore breeze. The afternoon gets a bit of a cross-off wind, but it’s still clean. Energy is still strong (821 in the morning, 688 in the afternoon). A solid day.

Wednesday, July 22nd through Saturday, July 26th: This is where the wind turns ugly. We’re looking at a solid 6 ft to 8 ft swell, but it’s going to be blown out by fresh to strong onshore and cross-shore winds. The combined energy is massive, hitting 5294 on Thursday afternoon, but the word is "poor" or "marginal" with lumpy, choppy conditions. For a reef setup like this, it’s probably not worth the paddle. There’s a glimmer of hope on Friday afternoon and Sunday morning with some cross-off or clean wind, but it’s still a gamble.

Monday, July 27th: The swell drops back to 4 ft, but the wind is onshore. It’s a write-off.

Tuesday, July 28th: Back to form. We’ve got a 3 ft swell from the SW with a 15-second period, and a moderate offshore breeze from the NNW. Energy is moderate (365). It’s a return to clean, good surf.

Wednesday, July 29th to Thursday, July 30th: The swell picks up to 5 ft on Wednesday, but the wind is a cross-off, so it’s clean. The energy is solid (861). Thursday morning looks very good with a 4 ft SW swell, 12-second period, and a moderate offshore breeze from the North (589 energy). It’s a good window.

Friday, July 31st: The wind is cranking out of the North at 28 mph. It’s offshore, which is clean, but that’s a howling gale. The swell is tiny (2 ft to 3 ft). It’s going to be a battle to get out and not much to ride. Hard pass.

Saturday, August 1st: The wind is a near-gale from the West at 34 mph. The swell is 5 ft to 6 ft, with a very long 18-19 second period. The energy is very high (1313 to 2059), but it’s just too dangerous with that wind. This setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Sunday, August 2nd: The wind drops to a moderate breeze, with a cross-off in the afternoon. The swell is a clean 6 ft to 6 ft from the SW with a 15-16 second period. Energy is high (1584 to 1882). This is a promising afternoon session.

Monday, August 3rd: The last day of the forecast. We’ve got a 8 ft groundswell from the SW with a very long 18-second period, and a fresh offshore breeze from the NNW at 22 mph. The energy is cranked up to 3850. For a reef break, this long-period groundswell could be epic if the direction lines up perfectly, but it’s a big swell. The wind is a bit fresh, so it might be a bit wild. This one is for the experts.

Rusty

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