D and W Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Gotta be straight with you – this is a tough one. We’re looking at a solid 16-day stretch for the local area, but honestly, it’s a real struggle to find anything worth paddling out for.

Right off the bat, we’ve got a long, flat spell. From the start of the period on Monday the 27th of July, all the way through to the end of the first week, it’s just a bust. The swell is tiny, with heights barely scraping 2ft, and the period is short, around 6 to 8 seconds, so there’s no push. The winds are consistently onshore or cross-onshore, chopping up what little bump there is. The combined energy sits in the weak range, with values never getting past the low 60s (42 to 67). The water temp is a notable 72°, which is a whopping 7° warmer than usual – that’s a very unusual anomaly for this time of year.

We then roll into the first week of August. The pattern barely shifts. The first few days of August are more of the same: tiny 1ft to 3ft swell, short periods, and onshore wind. The combined energy is still weak, sitting in the 40s to 90s (43 to 98). There’s a small glimmer on the 3rd of August – a long-period 16-second south-west swell pops up, but it’s only 1ft. The energy bumps up to 98, but it’s still not enough to break cleanly. The wind is light and cross-onshore, so it’s just a bit of a tease.

The middle of the second week, around the 4th and 5th of August, sees a run of 14-15 second period swells, but again, the height is a pathetic 1ft. The energy is in the 70s and 80s (74 to 100). For a beach/jetty setup that’s sheltered from the north-west, these long-period swells from the south-west are not the direction they need. The wind stays onshore. It’s basically a non-event.

Now, if you’re looking for the one true standout, you have to wait. The best on offer comes on the 7th of August, Friday morning. The swell picks up to 2ft from the south-west with a 13-second period, and the combined energy finally breaks into the moderate range at 116. The wind is light and onshore, so it won’t be glassy, but it’s the best energy we’ll see. The direction is from the south-west, which isn’t the optimum north-west, but it’s the closest we get to a real wave. It’s still small, so it’s only for the patient, intermediate crew.

Later that same day, the 7th, the swell just collapses to a 3-second windswell with an energy of 3. The 10th of August, Monday afternoon, shows a 2ft south-west swell with a 19-second period and a combined energy of 207 – that’s the strongest energy in the whole window. But it’s still a tiny, long-period groundswell on a beach/jetty. It’ll be breaking straight and won't offer much shape. The onshore wind will ruin it.

So, to sum it up: we have a very long gap with no real surf. The highlight is Friday morning, the 7th of August, and even that’s a marginal call. The rest of the window is a write-off for a paddle. For a beach/jetty, with this constant onshore wind and tiny swell, it’s honestly looking more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. Don’t hold your breath. The forecasts can change, but right now, it’s a tough one.

Rusty.

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