Empty Lots Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, I’m Rusty, and let’s get stuck into what’s on offer for the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – this is a lean patch. We’ve got one spot, Empty Lots, and it’s a reef break that’s fairly consistent but it’s been getting hammered by cross-shore winds all week. The opening days of the forecast are a write-off, Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th July are just messy. Strong to fresh easterly winds are blowing across the wave, making for lumpy, cross-chop conditions. Swell is around 4 ft to 5 ft from the east, with a short period of 7 to 8 seconds, so it’s weak and disorganised. The combined wave energy is moderate, sitting between 447 and 527 (moderate). Water temp is 80°F, which is about average for this time of year, so no worries there.

Monday 20th July sees a shift in the swell direction to the south, with a long period of 16 seconds – that’s a proper groundswell. But it’s small, only 2 ft to 3 ft, and the wind is still cross-shore from the east, so it’s marginal at best. The energy is climbing though, reaching 630 (moderate). Tuesday 21st is much the same with 3 ft south swell and a 14-second period, but still cross-shore winds. The energy is still moderate, around 489 to 531.

Wednesday 22nd July brings a tiny south-southwest swell, 2 ft, but with a very long period of 24 seconds. That’s groundswell with serious travel time, but it’s so small and the cross-shore winds are still fresh, so it’s not doing much. The energy is getting stronger, hitting 802 (moderate). Thursday 23rd and Friday 24th are more of the same – small, long-period south-southwest swell, but still cross-shore winds. The energy is climbing into the 1000s now, 1020 and 1064 (strong), but the waves are still small and messy.

Now, the first real glimmer of hope comes on Saturday 26th July. The swell is 4 ft from the east, with a 17-second period, and the combined energy is a solid 1578 (strong). The wind is still cross-shore in the morning, but by the afternoon it turns cross-offshore from the northeast, and the conditions clean up. The wave comment says “clean,” and you can feel it. It’s a moderate 5 ft on a 16-second period, with energy hitting 1778 (strong). This is the best session of the first week, no question. It’s not huge, but the groundswell energy and cleaner wind make it the standout.

Sunday 27th July pushes up to 7 ft from the east with a 16-second period, and the energy is massive at 2278 (very strong). But the wind is cross-shore again, so it’s not as clean. That’s a lot of water moving, and at 7 ft, it’s getting into the territory where beginners might find it a handful. Still, for experienced surfers, there’s power there.

The real standout of the whole run is Tuesday 28th July. The morning has 6 ft east swell, 14-second period, but the wind is a gentle cross-shore. The afternoon is where it’s at: 6 ft from the east, 13-second period, wind shifts to a gentle cross-offshore from the northeast, and the wave comment says “excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers.” The energy is 1337 (strong). This is the session to circle on the calendar. It’s clean, powerful, and the reef at Empty Lots will be handling the east swell properly. The crowd is listed as “sometimes,” so you might have a few others out, but it’s worth it.

After that, Wednesday 29th July drops off quickly to 5 ft, and the wind is back to cross-shore. The energy is down to 671 (moderate). Thursday 30th and Friday 31st July are small and messy again, with cross-on or cross-shore winds. The last few days of the run, into August, are a mix of small east swell with fresh cross-shore winds, so nothing to get excited about.

To sum it up, the first week is a write-off until the 26th, then the 28th is the peak. After that, it’s a slow fade. The long-period groundswells at Empty Lots mean the reef will handle them well, but the winds are your biggest enemy here. If you can get out on the afternoon of the 28th, you’ll be rewarded.

Rusty.

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