Fishermans Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here again. Let's be straight with you—it's a tough stretch ahead for Fishermans Reef. This is a very sheltered reef setup, and it's rarely breaking, so when the surf is flat, it's flat, and when it's on, it's for the patient few. No standouts in this 16-day window, so we're looking at a long, quiet spell.

The water temp is sitting at 57°F, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year. That's a noticeable chill, so you'll want a thicker suit.

The forecast starts with Monday the 27th. We've got a tiny 2ft (E) swell, but it's a long-period groundswell at 12 seconds – that's the kind of energy that usually shapes up nicely on a reef. The wind is cross-off, which would normally be clean, but the wave energy is weak (81). The whole period is plagued by poor surf conditions. The swell bumps up to 2ft (E) on Wednesday the 29th, with moderate wave energy (125), but the wind shifts cross-on, messing up the surface. Thursday the 30th is similar, with a choppy cross-on wind.

Friday the 31st is the most interesting pulse, but it's a short-period windswell (7 seconds) from the north at 3ft (148). The wind is a strong cross-off from the west, so the surface is clean, but the short period means the waves will be lumpy and won't have that long, peeling wall a reef likes. This is more of a mushy, weak option.

Then we hit a massive flat spell. From Saturday the 1st of August, the swell drops to 1.0ft, then 0.7ft, and eventually a flat 0.3ft for days on end. The wave energy drops to single digits (11) on the 5th, with glassy conditions, but there's nothing to ride. The water on the 5th morning is glassy—dead calm—but it's a flat ocean.

Around the 7th of August, a new swell arrives, but it's a disaster. A 5ft (NE) swell with a period of 6 seconds (short, weak windswell) and a strong onshore wind from the NE. By the 8th, it's 6ft (NNE) with moderate energy (341), but the onshore wind is howling, making it a complete mess. This is a chop-fest, not a surfable wave. For a spot this sheltered, with that much wind and a short period, this setup is more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

The only flicker of hope comes on Tuesday the 11th of August. A 3ft (NE) swell with a 8-second period and moderate energy (160), and a clean cross-off wind from the WSW. It's still a weak, short-period swell, but it's the cleanest wave in the entire two weeks. Still, for a reef that rarely breaks, this is a low-percentage, long-range gamble.

Honestly, the only positive here is that the area is so consistent in its flatness that a blank run is normal. Don't hold your breath.

Rusty.

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