Deadman's Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s cut through the noise and talk about what’s actually on offer at Deadman's. This is a beach and reef setup that stays fairly consistent, but the wind is going to be our biggest enemy for most of the run. Here’s how it’s shaping up.

We’ve got a bit of a wait on our hands. For the first week, from Monday the 20th through to the end of the week, it’s a pretty grim picture. The swell is hanging around 1 to 2 ft, but the wind is almost always cross or cross-on, and the wave comment is "poor surf conditions" for most of the day. The only flicker of life is on Friday morning, the 24th, when we see a 2 ft SW groundswell with a period of 24 seconds. That long period is a classic groundswell, but it’s breaking straight at this beach and reef setup, and the combined energy is moderate (654). The morning light breeze is cross-shore, keeping it somewhat clean. But honestly, it’s marginal thanks to the tide.

Saturday and Sunday (25th & 26th July) are a similar story. The swell picks up to 3 ft from the SW, with a very long period of 21 seconds on Saturday and 19 seconds on Sunday. The combined energy ramps up strong (1160 on Saturday morning, 865 on Sunday morning). The mornings are the only window, with a light cross-shore breeze, but again, the wave comment warns of marginal conditions. The afternoons are a write-off with strong cross-onshore winds.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting and a bit concerning. The start of the second week, Monday the 27th, brings a big shift. We’re looking at a 8 ft NW swell with a short period of 8 seconds and a massive combined energy of 1559 (very strong). The wind is light cross-on, but with a swell that size, Deadman's is going to be heavy and only for experts. Tuesday the 28th is even bigger, with a 8 ft NW swell and the combined energy at 1878. The wind is light cross-on in the morning, but the period is still short at 9 seconds, meaning it’s going to be a churning, messy wall of whitewater. This is proper big-wave territory. The setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing on those days.

The standouts are really the mornings of the 29th and 30th of July. On Wednesday the 29th, the swell drops to 3 ft from the SW with a long period of 16 seconds and a combined energy of 1022 (strong). The wind is a light cross-shore. It’s a smaller, cleaner window. Then Thursday the 30th offers a 6 ft WNW swell with a short period, but the wind is a gentle cross-shore, which is the best wind we’ve seen in a while. The combined energy is 730 (moderate). It’s still a bit gnarly for beginners with that size, but it’s the most promising mix of size and clean conditions.

The very end of the forecast, Sunday the 2nd of August, is the real hidden gem. The morning shows a 5 ft WNW swell with a period of 9 seconds and a combined energy of 425 (moderate). The wind is a light cross-offshore. The wave comment finally says "expect good surf conditions". That is the best bet on the entire run. It’s the only morning where the wind is truly offshore and the surf is rideable. It’s not a huge swell, but it’s clean.

To wrap it up, the first week is a bust. The second week has size, but the wind is a battle. The best on offer is the morning of Sunday the 2nd of August for the cleanest conditions. If you’re an expert, the mornings of the 27th and 28th will test your cojones, but the conditions won’t be pretty.

Rusty.

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