Estaleiro Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Looks like we’ve got a pretty patchy run of surf ahead at Estaleiro Reef. Nothing firing off the bat, but if you’re patient, there are a couple of windows that’ll make it worth paddling out. Let’s break it down.

The first real chance to wet a line comes Saturday morning, July 4th. We’re looking at a clean 3ft swell out of the SE, with a solid 12-second period pushing in. That’s a groundswell, so the reef setup will suit it nicely. Water temp is sitting at 64°F and running about 3°F cooler than usual for this time of year – nothing crazy, but you’ll notice it after a few hours. Winds are light and cross-offshore from the SW, keeping the surface tidy. Combined energy is sitting at 217 (moderate), so while it’s not a thumper, there’s enough there to get some fun ones. That Saturday morning session is the standout early on.

Sunday morning, July 5th, also looks promising. Similar 3ft swell from the SE, period dropping just a touch to 11 seconds, but we get proper offshore wind from the WNW at 10 km/h (6 mph). That should keep the reef face clean. Combined energy is 244 (moderate) – again, a solid little window for a paddle.

Monday, July 6th, things drop back. Swell fades to 2-3ft, period down to 10 seconds, and the wind shifts cross-offshore. It’s surfable but nothing to write home about.

Then we hit a bit of a bump. Tuesday July 7th brings a jump in swell height to 6ft from the SSE, but the period drops right off to 7 seconds – that’s short-period windswell, and the cross-onshore wind from the SSE at 10 km/h (6 mph) won’t do it any favours. Combined energy spikes to 546 (moderate-strong), but the quality won’t be there. Tuesday afternoon cleans up nicely though – glassy conditions with light ENE wind, and the swell drops to 4ft, period up to 8 seconds. Energy is still solid at 409. That afternoon could surprise, but the morning is one to skip.

From Wednesday July 8th through to Friday July 10th, we’re looking at small clean knee-to-waist-high waves. Swell sizes between 2ft and 3ft, period around 10 seconds, light winds. Nothing special, but if you’re desperate for a splash, it’s there.

Saturday July 11th and Sunday July 12th are pretty poor. Onshore winds and messy conditions, with swell tiny and period all over the place. Not worth your time.

Monday July 13th to Tuesday July 14th: more small, weak swell with onshore winds. Not much happening.

Now, Wednesday July 15th – this is the second standout. The morning shows a 5ft swell from the S, period 11 seconds, with light offshore wind from the NW at 5 km/h (3 mph). That’s a big jump in energy – combined energy is 516 (moderate-strong). The reef will handle that period well, and offshore wind means clean faces. This is the best session in the whole outlook, but watch the size – 5ft on the reef may be a bit much for beginners. Still, for the experienced crew, this is the one to target.

After that, the forecast gets messy again. Thursday July 16th is tiny. Friday July 17th sees a 4ft swell from the SE with a long 15-second period, but the wind is cross-onshore at 25 km/h (16 mph) – that’s a write-off for paddle surfing. Energy is strong at 544, but the conditions will be blown out.

Saturday July 18th morning cleans up nicely – 2ft SE swell with a 16-second period, offshore wind from the WNW at 5 km/h (3 mph). That’s very long period groundswell, which on a reef like Estaleiro will produce some nicely shaped, powerful waves. Combined energy is 392 (moderate). This is another good window, especially for anyone who likes waiting for the big sets.

Sunday July 19th wraps things up with a 5-6ft ENE swell, but the period drops to 8 seconds – more of a windswell. Morning has offshore wind at 10 km/h (6 mph), so it’ll be clean, but that short period on a reef can make it a bit chunky. Afternoon goes glassy with no wind, and the energy sits at 419 (moderate-strong). It’s a solid finish to the outlook, but for my money, the best bets are Saturday July 4th morning and Wednesday July 15th morning.

Rusty.

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