Depressions Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer for the Depressions (Depressions) stretch over the next 16 days.

Right off the bat, I gotta be honest with you – this is a tough one. The first recommendation isn't until Tuesday, the 21st of July, and even then it's a real struggle. We've got a 2ft swell from the SW with a very long period of 14 seconds, but the wind is blowing straight onshore from the SW at 6 mph. The combined swell energy is moderate at 384, but the water is a toasty 68°F – that’s much warmer than normal for this time of year, which is a bit of a surprise. But the wind is the killer here. It’s just not clean. It’s a "marginal" call at best, with questionable tide conditions.

The whole first week is a write-off. From Tuesday afternoon through to the end of the month, the reports are all "poor surf conditions" or "marginal." The wind is constantly cross-onshore or onshore, and the swell is all over the place. We get a few pulses of energy, like Thursday afternoon the 23rd with a 6ft, 6-second windswell, but that combined energy of 504 means nothing if the period is that short and the wind is trash. It’s a mess.

We do get a long run of clean, light offshore winds starting Friday the 24th of July, but the swell is tiny – 2ft to 3ft – and the combined energy is moderate. The waves are just too small to do anything with. A few sessions are marked as "marginal surf forecast or questionable tide conditions," which is surf-speak for "don't get your hopes up."

The best bet in this whole period is on Monday the 27th of July. The morning has a 3ft swell from the SSW with a period of 18 seconds, and a clean, light offshore wind from the SW at 6 mph. The combined energy is strong at 665. The afternoon is similar, with a 2ft swell from the SSW and a 19-second period, with the combined energy even higher at 669. This is a very long period groundswell, which means it’ll be straight and fast at a beach break – not ideal for beginners. But with that glassy wind, the lines will be clean. It’s a standout, but only if you’re an experienced surfer who can handle a long-period, straight wave. The crowds are possible here, so keep an eye out.

Tuesday the 28th of July is also decent. The morning has a 2ft swell from the SW at 17 seconds, with a perfect light offshore from the SSW at 3 mph. The combined energy is very strong at 720. The afternoon is similar with a 3ft, 17-second swell and 841 combined energy. This is the cream of the crop. Clean, long-period groundswell, glassy conditions. It’s a real treat if you can catch it.

After that, the quality drops off again. The first week of August sees a mix of tiny, short-period windswell and onshore winds. The 31st of July has a 3ft SSE swell at 14 seconds, but it’s cross-onshore, so it’s lumpy. The 5th of August afternoon has a 5ft WNW swell at 7 seconds, but it’s still onshore. It’s just not happening.

To sum it up: the first week is a complete loss. The standout is the 27th and 28th of July, with clean, offshore winds and long-period groundswell. That’s your window. After that, it’s a slow fade into nothing.

Stay safe, and keep your eyes on the horizon.

Rusty

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