Freshwater and Harbord Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s look at what’s on the cards for our stretch of coast. Gotta be straight with you – the next seven days are a write-off for any decent paddle. It’s a grim run of poor surf conditions, and we’ve got a gap that stretches from Saturday morning all the way through to the following Saturday morning. That’s a full week of nothing worth suiting up for. The only real glimmer of hope is way out there in the second week, so we’ll get to that.

Right now, for Saturday the 11th, Freshwater and Harbord is seeing a small 3ft swell from the ESE, with a period of 12 seconds. The water temp is sitting at 65°F, which is bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there. The energy is moderate (385), but the wind is cross-shore in the afternoon, messing it up. It’s surfable but very ordinary, and not a standout.

We then hit a dead zone. From Sunday the 12th right through to Friday the 18th, it’s all poor surf conditions. The swell drops right off or gets smashed by cross-onshore winds. The combined energy dips into the low double digits and even zero. Nothing to see here.

Now, the first real sign of life comes on Saturday morning, July 18th. We’ve got 5ft from the east at 9 seconds, with a light WSW cross-offshore breeze. The energy is back up to moderate (364), but it’s described as “surfable but very ordinary” – not a standout, but at least you’ll get wet.

The one true standout in this whole 16-day window is Sunday morning, July 19th. This is the day to circle. Freshwater (Sydney) will see a solid 6ft of east swell, with a period of 11 seconds, giving it proper groundswell shape. The combined energy jumps to 650 – that’s strong wave energy. And the wind? Clean offshore from the NNW at just 6 mph. Glassy, clean lines. This is the best on offer, no question. It’s a bit over 5ft, so it might be pushing it for beginners, and the longer period means it’ll break with more power and longer lulls between sets. The optimum direction is ENE, and we’re getting east, so it’s a good match. Crowds are ‘often’ here, so expect it to be busy.

Monday the 20th and Wednesday the 22nd have some surfable waves with clean winds, but nothing that matches that Sunday high. The last week of the month drops off again into tiny, weak swell with poor wind.

So, to wrap it up: the next week is a dud. The only true standout is Sunday morning, July 19th, at Freshwater. Get on it.

Rusty.

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