H-Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer at H-Reef over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you. The first few days are a bit of a write-off. We’ve got some swell, but the wind is just bloody awful – a constant cross-shore, and the wave state is a mess of cross-chop. The water temperature is sitting at 79°, which is about average for the time of year, so no surprises there. The combined energy is moderate (258) but with that wind, it’s not surfable.

We’re looking at a real dry spell until the end of the first week. The wind stays stubbornly cross-shore, and even though the swell height bumps up to 6 ft, the period is short and the conditions are just poor. The energy starts to build into the moderate range (528), but it’s not doing us any favours yet.

The real turning point starts on Sunday the 26th. The swell period suddenly jumps to 15 seconds, and the energy goes strong (995). This is a long-period groundswell starting to push in. The wind is still cross-shore, but the quality is *marginal* rather than poor, which is a step up. This is when the reef will start to get some proper lines.

Now, the standout window is from Monday the 27th of July through to Wednesday the 29th. The swell holds at 6 ft to 8 ft, and the period is a solid 13 to 15 seconds. The combined energy gets into the very strong range, hitting 1623 on Tuesday afternoon. This is serious energy. For the advanced crew, the Wednesday morning session on the 29th is the pick. We’ve got a north wind swinging offshore at 9 mph, and the swell is 8 ft from the ENE with an 11-second period. That offshore wind is going to clean it up nicely. Be warned, though, at 8 ft this is expert-only territory. The reef will be working, and with that optimum swell direction from the NNE, it’s set up perfectly. Word of caution: the crowds are a possibility here, so get in early.

After that peak, the energy drops off, and the wind gets messy again. By Thursday the 30th, we get a brief window of clean conditions with a cross-off wind, but the swell drops to 4 ft, so it’s small. The first week of August sees a return to the same old story – cross-shore wind and poor surf, except for the 3rd of August. That day brings a very long-period 16-second swell at 4 ft, but the energy is still strong (1067). It’s marginal, but if you’re a patient surfer on a longboard, you might find a few clean ones.

For the best bet, I’m locking in the 29th of July (Wednesday) morning at H-Reef. That offshore wind, 8 ft swell, and the reef’s exposure to the ENE swell is the clear winner. It’s a proper session for the experienced surfer.

Rusty.

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