Fishermans Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, I’m Rusty. Let’s be real about what we’ve got lined up here – it’s flat. The whole 16-day window is a tough one for Fishermans Reef (reef, extremely sheltered). Right now, the water temp is sitting at 58°, which is about average for the time of year, just a whisker cooler than normal.

Looking at the start, from Thursday 16 July right through to the middle of the week on Wednesday 22 July, it’s tiny. You’re looking at ankle-slopers, 0.7ft to 2ft of easterly swell, and the combined energy is way down in the dumps – mostly under 30, bumping up to 153 on the Friday morning, but that’s still just weak puff. The wind is clean enough, offshore or cross-off from the W and SW, but there’s no power behind it. For a break that rarely breaks, this is a long stretch of nothing.

Then we hit a gap of almost a week. From Thursday 23 July all the way through to Tuesday 29 July, the swell disappears into a whisper. Heights drop to 0.3ft to 0.7ft, with combined energy barely cracking 15. The wind stays clean, but you’re chasing ripples. Even the Tuesday morning of 28 July turns glassy, but with 0.7ft of ENE swell, it’s a lake. The break is inconsistent at the best of times, so this blank run is pretty normal for the area.

There’s a flicker of interest right at the end. On Wednesday 30 July, the morning shows a 10ft north swell rolling in, with a combined energy of 1075 (strong). That’s a big jump, but the period is only 8 seconds, so it’s windswell, not groundswell. The wind goes onshore from the NNE, and the break is very sheltered and exposed to the NE. That much swell, with the wind on it, turns ugly fast. This is more of a kite-surfing setup than a paddle session. The afternoon stays messy with 5ft and cross-onshore chop. The Friday 31 July looks worse – onshore winds at 19 mph and dropping swell.

If you’re desperate, the 30th morning might give a few messy, blown-out closeouts for the experts, but it’s not a standout. The only real standout is the lack of surf. Forecasts can change, but for now, stash the board.

Rusty

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