Freshwater West Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then, folks, let's have a look at what we've got on the cards for Freshwater West. I'm not gonna lie to you, it's a bit of a slow burner. We're looking at a decent stretch ahead, but the first week is proper flat and wonky. The wait will be worth it though, with some serious grunt showing up in the second week.

Right now, and for most of the first week, it's all a bit sad. The water is sitting at a touch warmer than average for the time of year, about 62°, but with swell tiny and wind all over the shop—mostly onshore or cross-onshore—there's nothing to get excited about. We're looking at weak wave energy, barely cracking 60 or 70 on the energy scale, with heights around 1 ft to 2 ft. You'd be better off checking the golf scores.

There's a little glimmer on Friday morning, the 10th of July. The wind goes clean and cross-offshore from the north, and we get a pulse of 2 ft swell from the west with a 9-second period. The combined energy is still weak at 69, but it'd be surfable if you were desperate. The afternoon gets blown out by a fresh 19 mph north wind, so get out early if you must.

Then the taps turn off again. We've got a right old gap from Saturday the 11th all the way through to Tuesday the 14th. The swell drops to a pathetic 0.3 ft to 0.7 ft, and even though the wind is offshore from the ENE on Sunday and Monday mornings, there's just no water moving. You'd be floating around on a stand-up paddle board, not a surfboard.

We finally see a pulse of proper groundswell on Tuesday morning, the 14th of July. It's 2 ft from the west with a decent 11-second period and a light offshore breeze from the ENE. The energy picks up to 89, but it's still weak. The waves would be clean and with that longer period, you'd get some shape on the better sandbanks, but don't expect any barrels.

Now, here's where it gets a bit more interesting. After another gap, things start cooking towards the end of the run. Saturday the 18th of July, the afternoon brings a jump in size: 5 ft from the WSW with a short 6-second period. The combined energy hits 153, so it's got some push, and it's clean with a light NE cross-offshore breeze. That's the first decent chance of a wave you'd call a wave.

Sunday the 19th of July is the one to circle on your calendar. The afternoon goes glassy, dead calm wind from the ENE, and we've got a solid 5 ft of west swell with a 6-second period. The energy reads 167, which is moderate. For the experienced lads, the morning of Monday the 20th of July pumps it up even more. We're looking at 6 ft from the west with 7 seconds, and a combined energy of 348. That's a proper amount of water moving. However, the wind flips to a gentle cross-onshore from the west, which will chop it up. That Monday afternoon gets even bigger at 7 ft and 433 energy, but with a full onshore wind from the WSW, it'll be a messy, wind-blown beast. For the experts only, and even then, it might be more of a kite-surfing show than a paddling session.

So, to wrap it up: the standout is Sunday the 19th of July afternoon. Get on it early for those clean, glassy 5 ft waves while the wind is dead. The energy is there, it'll be clean, and for a beach break, that's as good as it gets. The big pulse on the 20th is for the brave only, and only if you can handle the bump.

Rusty.

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