Conto Springs Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here, and I’ve been staring at the charts for our stretch of coast. Let’s get into it.

The coming week is a bit of a rollercoaster, but there’s a real gem hidden in there if you time it right. The long-range stuff looks promising, but don’t hold your breath for that second week just yet.

Now, the standout of the whole forecast window is Conto Springs. This reef break is very consistent and exposed to the WSW swell, so it knows how to handle a bit of energy. The water is sitting at 67°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so you might not need a thick wetsuit.

We start off with a bit of a messy Monday afternoon (13 July). There’s a solid 12 ft SW swell rolling in with a very long 16s period, and the combined energy is a strong 5497. But the wind is cross from the WSW at just 3 mph, so it’s not completely blown out, though the report says it’s marginal. Not the best start.

Tuesday morning (14 July) is cleaner skies, but the wind has gone cross-on from the NNE at 6 mph. The swell drops to 10 ft from the SW with a 15s period. It’s surfable, but still just marginal.

Wednesday (15 July) is a write-off. That 22 mph N wind is going to turn it into a lumpy mess. Don’t bother.

Thursday morning (16 July) is the one. The wind drops to glassy – 3 mph from the SW – and while there’s light rain, the ocean is glassy. The swell is 12 ft from the WSW with a 14s period, and the combined energy is a solid 4924. The report calls it excellent for experienced surfers, and that’s spot on. This is big, powerful groundswell with a very long period, so it’ll be proper. For a reef break, that’s a dream. Paddle out.

Friday and Saturday (17-18 July) are poor. Friday sees howling onshore winds, and Saturday morning (18 July) has a massive 18 ft swell from the WSW with a 16s period, energy readings of 15374. That is way too big for this spot, and the 19 mph W cross-on wind will make it a washing machine. Leave it for the experts or the kites.

The rest of the first week into the second week (19 July onwards) is a mix of marginal and poor conditions. The winds are generally cross-on or onshore, and the swell drops back to the 7 ft to 12 ft range, but the quality is just not there. There’s a bit of a tease on Thursday morning (23 July) with a 10 ft SW swell, a 17s period, and 6081 energy, but the 12 mph W cross-on wind ruins it.

The following Friday morning (24 July) is the last decent look. An 12 ft SW swell with 14s period, clean 9 mph N wind, and a 6489 energy reading. It’s still marginal, but it’s the best of a bad bunch for that stretch. Just be aware crowds are sometimes possible here.

After that, it’s a long gap of poor to blown-out conditions all the way through to the end of the forecast on 28 July. The wind is either strong or gale-force, and the swell is messy. It’s a blank run for the last week, to be honest.

So, the call is simple: if you’re an experienced surfer, Thursday morning, 16 July, at Conto Springs is the clear winner. Get it while it’s glassy.

Rusty.

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