Ferrugem Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here, and I’ve been staring at the charts for our patch. It’s a bit of a slow cooker for the next week, but there’s some real shine coming in the second week if you’ve got the patience.

Right now, it’s quiet. Nothing worth paddling out for on offer until the 10th of July. That’s a blank start for a few days.

The first real glimmer hits on Friday morning, 10th July, at Ferrugem. The swell is coming from the ESE at 3 ft (moderate energy, 308), and the wind is glassy – dead calm from the SW. That’s a rare treat, clean as a whistle. The water is sitting at 59°, which is a staggering 7° colder than normal for this time of year – that’s an unusual chill, so you’ll want a good hood or vest. The break is a sandbar, very consistent and takes an offshore from the NW, but this glassy morning will make it silky. The swell period is a nice 12 seconds, so there’s some groundswell punch to it. It’s an intermediate wave, so not for beginners if it gets bigger, but this is a solid, clean option for a Friday session.

The standout, though, is the stretch from Saturday morning, 11th July, through to Sunday morning, 12th July. Saturday morning brings ESE swell at 4 ft with a 13-second period (strong energy, 624), and the wind is cross-off from the NNE at 9 mph. That’s clean, well-shaped surf. By Saturday afternoon, the wind drops to a cross-off from the N at 3 mph – glassy edges. Sunday morning looks similar, but the wind swings to a cross-switch from the SW at 6 mph, which might put a little ripple on it. The energy is still high (974) from the ESE. This is the best run of the first week: consistent, good size, and clean.

Come Monday and Tuesday, the swell drops and the wind gets messy. Monday has a 7 ft S swell but with a short 8-second period and cross-on winds – lumpy, choppy, and not worth it. Tuesday has a cleaner cross-off wind, but the swell is back down to 4 ft from the SSE with 9 seconds, just okay.

Now, the real golden window opens up on Friday, 17th July. That morning, Ferrugem gets a 6 ft NE swell with an 8-second period, but the wind is offshore from the NNW at 3 mph. Glassy, clean, and the combined energy is strong (561). This is a proper standout – the wind is perfect, the swell is solid, and it’s an intermediate-friendly size. The period is short, so it’ll be a bit crumbly and fun, not a long, walling groundswell. Saturday morning, 18th July, is similar but with a cross-off wind at 12 mph – still clean, but breezy.

The absolute best on offer is Tuesday, 21st July, and Wednesday, 22nd July. Tuesday morning brings a 6 ft NE swell with a 9-second period, and the wind is dead calm, glassy, from the NNW. The water is still cold, but the energy is strong (670). Wednesday morning is nearly identical: 5 ft NE swell, glassy from the N at 3 mph, with strong energy (579). These are the days to circle. The swell direction is NE, and the optimum is SE, so it’s a bit off-angle, but with glassy conditions, that won’t matter much – the sandbar will still handle it.

Thursday, 23rd July, brings a surprise: a 4 ft S swell with a 9-second period, cross-off from the NNE at 9 mph, and energy is strong (555). That’s a different direction but clean. The weekend after that (24th July) has a 5 ft SSE swell, but the wind is cross-shore, so it’s a bit of a chop.

Crowds at Ferrugem are often an issue, especially on the weekends – expect company. The break is very consistent, so you can usually find a wave, but the best mornings (Friday 10th, Tuesday 21st, Wednesday 22nd) might be quieter if you get there early.

Overall, the first week is a slow start, but the second week from the 17th onwards has a few absolute gems. The 21st and 22nd July mornings are the pick of the bunch – glassy, solid swell, and clean. Don’t sleep on the 10th though, that glassy morning is a rare gift.

Rusty.

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