Devonport Rivermouth Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer down at Devonport Rivermouth over the next couple of weeks. I’ll be straight with you – it’s a pretty grim run for the most part, so don’t get your hopes up too early.

The pattern starts with a long, quiet stretch. From Saturday the 25th of July right through to the end of the month, the surf is small and the conditions are just ordinary. The swell is weak, rarely pushing above 4ft, and the period is short, mostly around 5 to 6 seconds. That means the waves lack any real push. The wind is mainly cross-off or cross-shore but it’s a moderate breeze, so it’s not glassy. The combined energy sits in the low to moderate range, often between 35 and 109, so it’s lacking any real power. There’s a brief spike on Tuesday the 28th of July when the swell bumps up to 7ft with a stronger 8-second period and moderate energy (519), but the wind is a fresh cross-shore and the conditions are lumpy and messy. Not worth paddling out for. The water temperature is about average for this time of year, nothing unusual.

The first real glimmer of hope comes on Sunday the 2nd of August. The morning brings a clean 1ft swell from the NW with a very long 19-second period, a gentle offshore wind from the SSW, and the combined energy kicks up to 178. The waves will have some shape and the paddle out won’t be too brutal with those long gaps between sets. It’s a point and river setup, so that long period should work well here. Then the afternoon gets even better – the wind goes glassy from the SE, the swell lifts to 4ft from the NW with a 6-second period, and the energy is 156. It’s not huge, but it’s clean and rideable. This is the standout of the whole forecast. The waves are a bit small for a barrel, but for a beginner-friendly spot, this is a nice session. The break is inconsistent, so you might have to wait for sets, but the quality of the glassy conditions makes it worth it. Crowds are sometimes an issue here, so if you see a few others, don’t be surprised.

After that, it’s back to the doldrums. From Monday the 3rd of August through to Sunday the 9th of August, the swell drops to nothing again – mostly 0.3ft to 1ft, with long periods from the NW but no size. The wind is all over the place, from light onshore to cross-off, but the energy is well under 100. It’s flat, plain and simple. There’s a brief moment on Tuesday the 4th of August with a glassy calm, but with 0.3ft of swell, it’s a lake, not a wave. The whole second week is a write-off for surf, so don’t bother checking the cam.

If you’ve got a kite, the Tuesday morning on the 28th of July might look interesting with that 7ft cross-shore wind, but for a paddle surfer, it’s a no-go.

To sum it up: the best bet is the afternoon of Sunday the 2nd of August. The glassy conditions, the 4ft NW swell, and the clean setup make it the only session worth chasing in this entire 16-day window. The rest is a long, flat wait.

Rusty.

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