Conto Springs Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it.

We’ve got a solid run of surf coming up at Conto Springs, but it’s a tale of two halves. The first few days are a bit of a write-off with messy wind and building swell, but hold on because the first weekend of August is where the magic happens. After that, it gets huge and gnarly, so only the brave need apply.

The water is sitting at a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, about 67°, which is a nice little bonus, especially for that first standout session.

The first real chance to get wet kicks off on Thursday morning, 31 July. It’s a bit of a false start though. The swell is already pushing 12 ft from the SW, but with a fresh onshore breeze, it’s just a mess. Not worth your time. That afternoon gets worse with rain and lumpy cross-on wind. Friday is the same story – big, powerful, and blown out. Leave it.

Saturday, 1 August is where it all changes. The morning shows some promise with a 13 ft SW groundswell (14-second period) and a clean cross-off breeze. The combined energy is pumping at 7704, but the real standout is the Saturday afternoon session. This is the one. The swell jumps to 16 ft from the SW, the wind goes offshore from the SE, and it’s just gentle and clean. The combined energy is a massive 11551 and the report says exceptional surf for expert surfers. This is a big, powerful, long-period groundswell (16 seconds) hitting an exposed reef, so it’s going to be draining and hollow. If you’re an intermediate, watch from the rocks. This is for the crew who know what they’re doing. Crowds are possible here, so expect some company.

Sunday, 2 August offers a bit of a comedown. The swell drops to 10 ft from the SW, but the afternoon goes glassy. Literally, no wind. Clean, 10 ft, 13-second swell. It’s a beautiful session for experienced surfers, but the energy is a lot more moderate (3342). A great option if Saturday was too heavy for you.

Monday, 3 August sees the swell drop further to 6 ft to 7 ft, with light cross-on winds. It’s marginal, but there’s still a wave. The energy is low (1837-2864), so it’s a bit of a rest day.

Now, from Tuesday, 4 August onwards, things go nuclear. The swell climbs back to 12 ft on Tuesday, then 16 ft on Wednesday. The problem is the wind. It’s a constant cross-on or onshore fresh breeze, making it lumpy and messy. The combined energy is huge (over 8000), but it’s just not clean. By Wednesday afternoon, 5 August, the wind and tide are favorable, but the swell is predicted to be too big for this break at 16 ft with an 18-second period. The energy is a staggering 15676. This is kite-surfing territory, not paddle surfing.

The rest of the second week is a blur of 13 ft to 20 ft SW and WSW swells, with strong to near-gale winds. The energy hits over 25000 on some days, but it’s blown out or the swell is just too big. The morning of Wednesday, 12 August looks promising with a 20 ft WSW swell and a gentle offshore from the SE – clean, but again, the report says it’s too big for the break. This is expert-only, life-or-death kind of stuff.

Bottom line: The absolute best bet is Saturday afternoon, 1 August. That’s your window. Perfect wind, a solid groundswell, and a reef that can handle it. If that’s too heavy, the glassy Sunday afternoon is a good second choice. Everything after that first week is for the big-wave chargers or the kite surfers.

Rusty.

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