Freshwater Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ll be straight with you – this 16-day stretch for Freshwater Bay is a tough one. We’re looking at a long, dry spell with barely a ripple for most of it. The water temp is sitting at 68° right now, which is a whopping 8° warmer than usual – that’s really unusual, feels like a bath compared to what you’d expect this time of year.

The first solid blip on the radar doesn’t show up until the morning of Wednesday the 22nd of July. Even then, it’s not a classic. We’ve got a 5ft swell rolling in from the east, period short at 6 seconds, so it’s a weak, choppy windswell. The energy is moderate (119), but the wind is a cross-off from the northeast at 12 mph, which will keep things clean on the surface. Still, with that short period and the swell size, it’s more of a cruiser day for intermediates – beginners might find it a little pushy at 5ft. The afternoon gets a bit of a bump up to 5ft from the east, but the wind swings onshore from the south, and with the energy climbing to 143, it’s messy. Not a standout.

The real highlight, if you can call it that, comes on the morning of Wednesday the 29th of July. Finally, some proper grunt. A 4ft swell from the southwest, with a period of 8 seconds, and the energy is strong at 203. The wind is a cross-off from the west at 12 mph, so the bay will be clean. The new direction is a better match for the spot’s preferred SW swell. This is surfable, but it’s still marginal – the report says “questionable tide conditions,” so you’ll want to pick your bank. The afternoon of the same day throws up a 7ft WSW swell with a massive energy reading of 805, but the wind is a messy cross-shore from the southwest at 16 mph, making it a lumpy, choppy mess. That size is for experts only, and with the wind, it’s going to be a challenge. Honestly, for a reef-and-point setup, that short period on a bigger swell usually means it’s a bit fat and straight, so don’t expect gems.

Aside from that, the rest of the 16 days is a bust. There are long gaps of 4 to 5 days at a time with nothing worth paddling out for. The 25th of July morning offers a tiny 2ft WSW swell with a clean offshore NNW breeze, but it’s barely surfable. The energy is weak (82). It’s a tease.

So, the pick of the litter is the Wednesday the 29th of July morning session. It’s not a classic, but it’s the best we’ve got. The rest of the window is a write-off. Keep an eye on the charts, though – it only takes one shift.

Rusty.

Read more