Gallows Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the table for the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, we’re staring down some pretty average conditions. That initial pulse of swell on Wednesday the 8th is a big 10ft from the SSE, but the wind is howling from the south at 16 mph and it's cross-on, leaving the water a messy, choppy mess. It just ain't worth paddling out for. The ocean’s packing some serious energy with the combined swell figure sitting at 3929, but it’s all for nothing with the wind wrecking it.

We’ve got to sit through a fair few days of marginal surf. Thursday the 9th sees the swell dropping to around 7ft to 8ft, but it’s still choppy and messy. Friday is not much better. The wait is on until we get a little window.

Now, mark your calendars for Saturday morning, the 11th of July. That's the standout. The wind goes completely glassy from the NNW at just 3 mph. The swell will be a clean 4ft from the SE with a 10-second period. This is going to be a really fun, clean session at Gallows. The combined energy is at a moderate 506, so there’s enough push. I'd be out there early. The crowd factor is "often", but for conditions this good, a few other locals are a safe bet. Water temp is 68°, which feels about average for this time of year.

The following days, the swell drops off fast. Sunday the 12th has a cleaning-up 3ft in the morning with a light cross-offshore wind from the WSW, but it's small. By Monday the 13th, we’re looking at ankle-snappers of 2ft. There's a bit of a gap here with very little on offer.

The next bit of interesting news is a while off, but I want to flag Thursday afternoon, the 16th of July. The swell is predicted to be a very solid 13ft from the SSE, coming in long-period at 9 seconds. The wind is light and cross-offshore from the WSW, so it will be clean. That’s a massive amount of energy (2405 combined). But that's expert territory. For anyone who knows Gallows, a 13ft SSE swell can get pretty heaving and dangerous. Not for the feint of heart.

After that brief spike, it turns into a real struggle. Friday the 17th through Monday the 21st is a long run of strong south winds, all cross-on, making a mess out of any decent size. Honestly, that stretch looks more interesting for a kite surfer than a paddler, with steady 19-28 mph winds and messy, lumpy 7-10ft waves. It's not going to be a fun paddle.

The tail end of the forecast, around Wednesday the 22nd, shows some cleaner but very small 3ft conditions with a light offshore, but nothing to get excited about.

So the one true standout is Saturday the 11th. Get in the water then because the rest of the window has a lot of waiting and some wild, unrideable days.

- Rusty

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