Fishermans Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty. Gonna level with you – the next couple of weeks are a tough stretch for surf around here. We’ve got a long run of poor conditions and tiny swell, so don’t get your hopes up too early.

Looking at the whole 16-day window, there’s really only a flicker of something at the very end. The spot we’ve got in the books is Fishermans Reef, a sheltered little reef break that’s rated for beginners, but it rarely breaks. That’s the first clue things are quiet.

For the first week and a half, from Saturday the 15th right through to about Thursday the 27th of August, it’s almost a total write-off. We’ve got tiny waves – mostly around 0.7 ft to 3 ft – with weak swell energy (readings between 3 and 148). Winds are mostly cross-off or light, but the waves just aren’t there. On the 15th, we see a 3 ft easterly swell with 9-second period and moderate energy (193), but it’s still tagged as “poor surf conditions.” There’s a bit of a pulse on Monday the 17th afternoon with 3 ft and energy at 148, but it’s still not enough to get excited about. Water temp on the 15th is reading 57°, which is about 1° below the long-term average for this time of year – so, pretty standard, nothing unusual.

The real gap stretches from the 15th all the way to the 28th. That’s a solid 13 days of “don’t bother.”

Finally, things get a little interesting at the very tail end. On Friday the 28th of August, the swell picks up to 6 ft from the north-northeast with a 9-second period. The combined swell energy jumps to 516 – that’s strong wave energy. Winds are light, clean and cross-off, and the conditions shift to “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions.” This is the best we’ve got. Saturday the 29th morning looks alright too – 6 ft from the north, 8-second period, energy at 362, and glassy winds. That’s a nice window. However, for a beginner reef that rarely breaks, this is actually a standout. The swell size is around 6 ft, which is getting borderline for beginners, but for anyone with a bit of experience, it’s doable. The north swell direction isn't the optimum (which is northeast), but clean conditions make up for it.

After that, it drops back down fast – Sunday the 30th has 3 ft and energy drops to 114.

So, the honest take: if you’re hanging for a wave, mark the morning of Friday the 28th and Saturday the 29th on the calendar. That’s your only real chance. Fishermans Reef is quiet, inconsistent, and takes a lot of swell to wake up, but when it does, and with glassy wind, it could be a little gem. Crowds are listed as “sometimes,” so you might have it to yourself. Everything before that is a waiting game.

Rusty.

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