Danger Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let's get into it. This is Rusty, lookin' at what's on the table for the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, the first few days are a bit of a tease. We've got some small but clean surf on the horizon, but it's nothin' to get overly excited about just yet. The real heavy artillery is building for the end of the first week and into the second, but we've got to get through some iffy conditions first.

The pattern starts Friday, July 31st, but honestly, it's weak. We're looking at a 3 ft SW swell with a long 12-second period, but the wind is onshore from the SE, and the wave comment calls it "marginal." The energy is still moderate (439), but it's not the kind of thing you jump out of bed for. Saturday morning, August 1st, is a bit better. The swell drops to 4 ft from the SW, but the period stretches to 14 seconds, and the wind goes glassy from the NE. The energy is a touch higher (492), and the conditions are set to be "glassy." That's a window for a few clean ones at Danger Reef, but it's still small crowd-pleaser stuff, not a standout.

The first real standout window is Monday morning, August 3rd. The wind is dead calm, glassy from the NW, and we've got a 4 ft SW swell with a 12-second period. The combined energy jumps to 695 (moderate), and the forecast says "very good surf conditions." This is the best of the early run. The water temp is sitting at 59°F, which is about 1°F cooler than average for this time of year, so it's a bit nippy, but nothing that'll ruin a session.

Now, hold on to your board. The real fireworks come Wednesday, August 5th, and Thursday, August 6th. Wednesday morning sees a 8 ft SW swell with a 14-second period and a stiff 16 mph offshore wind from the N. The energy skyrockets to 2546 (strong to very strong). This is big, powerful, and clean. The afternoon cleans up even more with a 19 mph offshore from the NNW. This is expert territory. The swell is over 8 ft, so if you're not confident in the heavy stuff, sit this one out. But for the experienced crew, this is a serious session.

Then Thursday, August 6th, we get the biggest pulse of the whole run. A 13 ft SW swell with a 14 to 15-second period. The energy is enormous – 5868 in the morning and 6687 in the afternoon. That's very strong wave energy. The wind is onshore from the SE, which will mess it up a bit, but the sheer size is intimidating. This is for experts only, and even then, it's a heavy, heavy day.

Friday, August 7th, offers a bit of a reprieve. The swell drops to 10 ft from the SW, but the wind is glassy from the ESE. The energy is still very strong (2693), and the report says "excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers." This is the second true standout. The size is still big, but the clean conditions will make it a proper session for those who can handle it.

After that, things get messy. Saturday, August 8th, starts clean with a 7 ft SW swell and offshore wind, but the afternoon is a write-off with rain showers and a strong onshore wind. Sunday, August 9th, through Monday, August 10th, is a total loss with gale-force onshore winds and poor conditions.

The following week, from August 11th onwards, the swell drops back to the 3 ft to 5 ft range. The wind is mostly cross or onshore, making it marginal. There's a brief window on Wednesday morning, August 12th, with a 4 ft SW swell, a 13-second period, and glassy conditions (energy 595), which is "very good," but it's short-lived. The rest of that week is mostly small and messy, with the occasional clean session like Saturday afternoon, August 15th, with a 4 ft WSW swell and a light cross-offshore wind.

The best on offer: The Monday morning, August 3rd session for the clean, fun size, and the Friday morning, August 7th session for the big, clean, glassy conditions. The big mid-week stuff is for the hardcore only.

Rusty.

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