Fishermans Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you – Fishermans Reef is a tricky little spot. It’s a very sheltered reef break that rarely breaks, so you’re really chasing a specific set of conditions. The good news is, there are a few windows in the 16-day outlook where it might just turn on, but you’ll need patience. The water temp is sitting about average for the time of year, nothing weird there.

Right now, and through the rest of Wednesday, it’s tiny. Swell is barely 0.7ft from the east with a weak 19 combined energy. The wind is light cross-off, so it’s clean, but there’s just no push. Thursday stays the same – 0.7ft, still clean but flat. Friday morning gets a little bump to 2ft from the east, period 17 seconds, and the combined energy jumps to 153 (moderate), but it’s still labelled poor surf. The afternoon sees a clean offshore wind from the southwest at 12 mph, which is a good sign, but the swell remains tiny.

Saturday through Tuesday is a mixed bag. Saturday has 1ft with a clean cross-off in the morning, and a moderate offshore in the afternoon, but the energy is weak (68). Sunday sees a similar story with 1.0ft. Monday is the first real change – the swell bumps to 4ft in the morning and 5ft in the afternoon from the east, but the period drops to a weak 5-6 seconds and the wind turns cross-onshore, making it choppy. The energy is moderate (91-156), but the quality is poor. Tuesday is messy with onshore winds again.

Now, here’s the standout. Saturday, July 25th is the one to circle. The morning has 3ft from the east-northeast, period 9 seconds, light cross-off wind, and a clean surface. The afternoon is even better – glassy conditions, 3ft from the northeast, and the combined energy is 215 (moderate). It’s still a small wave, but for a spot that rarely breaks, this is about as good as it gets. The swell direction (NE) plays nicely with the optimum (NE) for the reef. Keep in mind, crowds are possible here, so if it’s working, you won’t be alone.

Sunday, July 26th, holds similar potential – glassy morning, 3ft from the northeast, energy 183 (moderate). The afternoon gets a light cross-on breeze, but it’s still a clean 3ft. Monday, July 27th, also has a glassy start with 3ft from the east-northeast, period 11 seconds, and energy 208 (moderate). The wind turns onshore in the afternoon, so the morning is the pick.

The tail end of the outlook, from July 28th to 30th, sees small pulses of 2ft to 5ft, but the period is short (5-10 seconds) and the energy is mostly weak to moderate. The winds are generally clean, but the swell is inconsistent. For a break that’s rarely breaking, it’s not a great run.

Overall, the best on offer is Saturday, July 25th, with glassy conditions and a modest but rideable swell. Keep your expectations low – it’s Fishermans Reef, after all. If it’s flat, it’s flat. But if the stars align, you’ll be in for a treat.

Rusty.

Read more