Deadman's Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's take a look at what's on the cards for Deadman's.

First up, right off the bat, we're looking at a bit of a mixed bag. The opening days are a bit of a write-off thanks to moderate cross-shore winds and messy conditions. The swell is there, but it's not clean. The combined energy is moderate but it's not translating into quality. We've got a 16-second groundswell from the SSW pushing through on Wednesday the 29th and Thursday the 30th, with swell heights around 3ft to 4ft. It's a long-period groundswell, which at a reef setup like this can be a good thing, but the wind is just not playing ball—cross-shore and a moderate breeze, so the surface is chopped up. The best of those early days is Thursday afternoon, the 30th, when the wind turns cross-offshore and the conditions clean up, but even then the energy is moderate and the score is marginal.

The real change comes on Saturday the 3rd of August. The swell direction swings around to the NW, and we start to see some size. Saturday morning kicks off with 5ft of NW swell, but it's a short period of 7 seconds, so it's a bit weak and crumbly. The wind is cross-offshore though, making it clean. The afternoon picks up to 6ft, but the period drops to 6 seconds—that's a short-period wind swell, and it's a bit of a mess. The energy is moderate but it's not the kind of wave that will hold up well.

Skip ahead to Monday the 4th of August. Now we're talking. The morning of Tuesday the 4th is shaping up as a standout. A 6ft NW swell with a 9-second period, but the wind is glassy—absolutely dead calm. That's a rare treat. The combined energy is a solid 622, and the forecast is for "very good surf conditions." That's your window. The reef will be breaking clean, the sets will have some punch, and the glassy surface means no chop. This is the best session on offer. After that, the wind starts to get messy again.

Wednesday the 5th of August has a moment in the afternoon with another glassy period, 5ft NW swell, 9 seconds, and the energy is moderate. It's a good option if you missed Tuesday, but Tuesday morning is the clear winner.

The following week, from the 7th onwards, the swell drops off. The combined energy is lower, the wind keeps flipping between cross and cross-on. The 9-second period is consistent, but it's not a big swell. The last days have a couple of windows—like Thursday the 6th afternoon with a 6ft NW swell, glassy wind, and a score of 3—but the energy is still moderate. It's rideable, but nothing to get overly excited about.

The real highlight is Tuesday the 4th of August morning. Glassy, clean, 6ft NW swell, and a solid 9-second period. That's your best bet. The crowds at Deadman's are often an issue, and with conditions like that, you'll want to be early.

The water temperature is about average for the time of year, nothing unusual. The reef is inconsistent, so don't expect it to be pumping every day, but when it's on, it's on.

Signing off, Rusty.

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