Darbys (Wilsons Promontory) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let's get into it. Rusty here, looking at what's on the cards for the next couple of weeks.

Alright mate, it's a bit of a mixed bag shaping up. We've got a real solid groundswell coming through early on, but the wind is going to be a problem for a few days. You'll have to be patient, because the real quality doesn't show its face until we're well into the first week of August.

Let's start with what's coming. Friday the 24th and Saturday the 25th of July, we've got a healthy 8 ft SW groundswell rolling in, with a period of 15 seconds, giving us a combined wave energy of 3478 – that's strong energy. But the problem is the wind. It's a howling W to WNW breeze at 22-28 mph, blowing straight onshore or cross-on. That's going to chop it up something shocking. The waves will be there, but it's going to be a washing machine. For the beginners out there, 8 ft is already pushing it, and with that wind, it's a day for the experts only, and even then, it's not really worth it.

Sunday the 26th and Monday the 27th see the swell drop a bit, down to 5 ft and then 3 ft, with the period dropping off too. The wind is still a fresh cross-on or cross-shore breeze, so the conditions stay poor. This is the kind of setup that looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing, to be honest.

There's a bit of a gap here. From late on the 27th through to the 30th of July, the swell gets small and weak, and the wind is still messy. You're not going to find anything worthwhile.

Now, here's where it gets interesting. We need to look ahead to the 4th, 5th, and 6th of August. This is the standout period. The wind finally plays ball. For the morning of Tuesday the 4th, we get a 3 ft SW swell with a period of 13 seconds and a light ENE offshore breeze at just 3 mph. That's clean. The energy is moderate (486), but the conditions are right.

Then Wednesday the 5th of August is the real gem. The wind goes glassy calm in the morning, with a 3 ft SW groundswell (period 14 seconds). That's about as good as it gets for a clean, workable wave. The combined energy is 409, so it's not a beast, but it's perfect for a longboard or a funboard. The afternoon sees the wind shift to a light ESE cross-off, and the swell period jumps up to 17 seconds, which is a very long period groundswell. That long period will make the waves a bit more peaky and have longer gaps between sets, but with the wind clean, it'll be a rippable little wave. The energy picks up to 671, which is a solid moderate energy.

Those two days, particularly the 5th and 6th of August, are your best bet. The water temperature is about average for the time of year, so no surprises there.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a write-off due to wind. The real quality is in the first few days of August. It's a long-range call, so it's promising but not locked in yet, but the signs are there for a couple of glassy mornings with clean, fun-sized waves. Stay patient.

Rusty.

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