Freshwater east Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer. I gotta be straight with you – the next couple of weeks for Freshwater East are a bit of a tough watch. The swell is tiny and the conditions are mostly poor, so we’re not looking at a classic run.

For the first week, from Thursday 23rd July all the way through to Wednesday 29th July, it’s a real struggle. The swell is mostly 0.3 ft to 1 ft, with a bit of a pulse on the 26th and 27th hitting 3 ft to 5 ft, but the wave comment is consistently “poor surf conditions.” The combined energy is weak, with values like 14, 12, and 55 (moderate energy only on the 26th with 160 and 168). The wind is offshore a lot of the time, which would normally be a major positive, but with zero wave height to work with, it’s just a tease. The water temperature is about 65°, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year, so at least it’s a nice paddle.

Then we hit a bit of a gap. From Tuesday 28th July until Thursday 30th July, the swell drops back to barely a ripple. The 31st of July sees a jump up to 6 ft from the SW, with a combined energy of 325 (moderate wave energy), but the 7-second period is short and weak. It still says “poor surf conditions,” so it’s not a goer.

The real drama comes on the 1st of August. Saturday morning has 8 ft from the WSW, and Saturday afternoon bumps to 10 ft from the SW. The combined energy is massive – 1060 and 1635 (strong to very strong wave energy). That’s a lot of power. But the wind is cross-on and cross, making it choppy and messy. This is a beach and reef setup, so with that size, strong wind, and poor quality, it’s going to be a washing machine. Honestly, this looks way more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. The period is 9 seconds, so it’s not a proper groundswell, just a messy windswell. Only for experts, and even then, it’s not the good kind of big.

Sunday 2nd August drops a bit to 6 ft in the morning, but the cross-on wind is still there. The afternoon cleans up with a 5 ft WSW swell and a cross-off wind, but it’s still a poor surf call. The 3rd of August fades quickly back to 3 ft and below.

The only possible standout, and I’m being generous, is the afternoon of the 31st of July. The swell is 6 ft from the SW, period is 7 seconds, and the wind is cross-off, making it clean. The combined energy is 325 (moderate). It’s a very short period, so it’ll be a bit fat and wonky at the beach, but it’s the cleanest the bigger swell gets all week. Even then, the wave comment is still “poor surf conditions,” so don’t get your hopes up.

The 7th of August has a tiny 0.7 ft with a 10-second period and offshore wind, but that’s not enough to ride.

Bottom line: there’s nothing good to surf here in the 16-day window. The only sizeable swell is a messy, windy, expert-only mess. The rest is flat. Freshwater East is a very sheltered spot and rarely breaks, so a blank run like this is pretty normal for the area. The forecasts can change, but for now, leave the boards at home.

Rusty.

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