Emma Wood State Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you—this outlook’s a tough one. We’ve got Emma Wood State Beach on the table, and for the first week and a half, it’s pretty much a write-off. The wind is mostly onshore or cross-onshore, and the swell is small and weak. There’s a little window of hope right at the end of the first week, but it’s slim.

From now through to Sunday the 12th of July, it’s consistently poor. Swell heights are sitting between 1.0 ft and 2 ft, all from the SSW, with periods around 14 to 18 seconds. That’s a long-period groundswell, which usually means better-shaped waves, but with the wind blowing onshore nearly the whole time, the surface is messy. Combined energy fluctuates between 144 and 344, so mostly moderate energy, but it’s not doing you any favours. The wind is a gentle breeze, and the waves are poor.

Monday the 13th of July morning is the first flicker of something decent. The wind goes glassy—dead calm—and the swell is 2 ft from the SSW with a 13-second period. Combined energy drops to 111, so it’s weak, but glassy conditions mean clean, surfable waves. It’s only a 1 out of 10, so it’s ordinary, but if you’re desperate, paddle out then. The afternoon goes cross-onshore again and it’s gone.

After that, from Tuesday the 14th to Friday the 17th of July, it’s back to poor surf—small waves, onshore or cross-onshore wind, and combined energy mostly below 160. Not worth the drive.

Then on Friday the 17th of July afternoon, we get a small break. The wind swings offshore from the ENE at 6 mph, so it’s clean, and the swell is 2 ft from the west with a 9-second period. Combined energy is 147 (weak), but the clean conditions make it surfable. That afternoon is your best bet in the first week-and-a-half.

From Saturday the 18th of July onward, the swell picks up a little but the wind messes it up again. Cross-onshore, onshore—same old story. Combined energy starts climbing into the 200s and 300s, so there’s more water moving, but it’s messy. The period drops to 8 or 9 seconds on some days, which is short-period crap, and not worth the hassle.

Sunday the 19th of July afternoon has a 2 ft SW swell at 17 seconds and combined energy of 277, but the wind is cross-onshore again. That’s a tease.

Honestly, the only standout is Monday the 13th of July morning—glassy, clean, but small. If you’re a beginner, that’s actually perfect because the swell is only 2 ft and it’s a beach and reef break. Not too big, not too threatening. But crowds are often here, so expect company.

Water temperature is about average for the time of year, nothing unusual.

So yeah, it’s a lean run. Two weeks of mostly rubbish, with one or two short windows for a paddle. Keep an eye on the forecasts though—it tends not to stay this poor for long around here.

Rusty.

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