Depressions Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, I’m Rusty. Let’s be straight with you about this one – it’s a tough run. Over the next 16 days, the surf at Depressions is mostly on the small side, with a lot of marginal to poor conditions. The only real bright spot comes early on, but it’s fleeting. After that, we’re looking at a long stretch of days where it’s just not worth paddling out.

The first bit of hope is on Sunday, July 26th. The afternoon shapes up as the best of the whole period. The swell is only 2 ft from the SW, but it’s packing a lot of energy with a combined swell energy of 463 (moderate). The period is a very long 18 seconds, which is proper groundswell – that means powerful, clean lines. The wind goes glassy, with the WSW wind dropping to just 3 mph. That’s the kind of glassy, clean surface you dream about. The water is a stinking 69°F, which is a massive 7°F warmer than normal for this time of year – that’s seriously unusual, so you’ll be in for a warm one. Keep in mind, this is a beginner-friendly break, and it’s fairly consistent. Crowds are sometimes an issue, so you might have to share the lineup. The optimum swell direction here is WSW, and this swell is coming from the SW, so it’s close enough to work well.

Monday, July 27th, is a step down. The morning has a slightly bigger 3 ft swell from the SSW, but the wind is onshore at 6 mph, and the combined energy hits 700 (strong). The period is still long at 18 seconds, but the onshore wind will mess up the surface. The afternoon is a similar story, with the wind turning cross-onshore. The rest of the week is a grind. Tuesday through to the end of July teases with small 2 ft to 3 ft swells, but the wind is consistently onshore or cross-onshore, and the wave comments keep saying “marginal” or “poor.” The combined energy drops from 600 on Tuesday morning down to 439 by Thursday afternoon.

Then we hit a dry spell. From Saturday, August 1st, right through to the end of the forecast on Monday, August 10th, the surf is consistently poor. The swell height drops to tiny 0.7 ft to 1 ft, and the combined energy is mostly weak, with values like 50, 73, and 46 (weak). The period bounces around, but the swell is just too small. There’s a brief moment on Friday, August 7th, where the afternoon sees a 2 ft swell from the SSW with a long 19-second period and a combined energy of 271 (moderate), but the wind is onshore, and the comment is still “marginal” at best. Sunday, August 9th, and Monday, August 10th, are just more of the same – tiny, weak, and not worth the effort.

So, the standout is Sunday afternoon, July 26th. That’s your window. Everything else is a write-off. If you’re a beginner, this is still a good spot to learn on the 26th, but be aware that the long-period swell (over 15 seconds) can make it break a bit straight at a beach break, so it might not be as fun as it sounds. For the rest of the run, it’s a long, dry gap with no real surf on offer.

Rusty.

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