Halfway Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, Rusty here. Look, I won't sugarcoat it – the first week and a half is a bit of a battle. The wind is mostly a cross-off from the SE, and while the waves are clean, the quality is just not there. Too often the call is "marginal". We've got a solid run of surf from Thursday 23 July right through, but it's hard to get excited.

Thursday 23 July and Friday 24 July have small SSW swell, around 3 ft to 4 ft, with a decent period (14 to 17 seconds), but the energy is only moderate (823 to 865 in the combined energy). The wind is a fresh breeze, making it a bit lumpy. It's surfable, but nothing to write home about.

Saturday 25 July sees a slight bump in swell to 5 ft (SSW, 15 seconds) in the morning. The energy picks up a bit (1123), but it's still a "marginal" call. The wind is still cross-off.

Sunday 26 July and Monday 27 July bring a shift in swell direction to the SE, with a shorter period of 8-9 seconds. The swell height jumps to 7 ft to 8 ft, and the energy gets strong (1143 to 1385). But the wind cranks up to 35 km/h, and we've got rain showers. This is messy, choppy, and more of a challenge than a pleasure. The 8 ft on Sunday afternoon is pushing into expert territory, but with that wind, it's a battle.

Then we get another few days (Tuesday 28 July to Thursday 30 July) of small SSW swell, 3 ft to 5 ft, with long periods (13 to 16 seconds). The energy is moderate (660 to 1231). The wind stays a fresh breeze. It's clean, but small.

Now, we get to the end of the first week and into the second. Friday 31 July is a bit of a tease – the swell is only 4 ft to 4 ft (SSW, 17 seconds), but the energy is strong (1423 to 1513). The wind settles a little, and the afternoon has a moderate breeze.

Now, the real standout is Saturday 1 August and Tuesday 4 August. Saturday 1 August morning is the best call of the early part. We get a 7 ft SSW swell with a 18-second period, and the wind goes *offshore* from the ESE at 25 km/h. The energy is massive (2424). The call is "excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers". This is a clean, powerful, groundswell that will be a proper session. It's great for the experienced crew.

But the true standout, the one you circle on the calendar, is Tuesday 4 August. Both morning and afternoon are rated a 5/5, with "excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers". The swell is 8 ft in the morning, 8 ft in the afternoon, solid SSW groundswell with a 17-second period. The wind drops to a gentle 15 km/h cross-off, which is as good as it gets. The energy is through the roof (4028 and 3110). This is a big, powerful, clean swell for experts only. The period is long, so it'll be a proper groundswell – best on a point or reef, not a straight beach break.

Wednesday 5 August and Thursday 6 August are still good, with 6 ft to 7 ft SSW swell, but the wind picks back up. The energy remains strong. The 6th afternoon has a 7 ft, 17-second swell with a very strong energy reading (3226), so it's still a solid option.

Friday 7 August is the last day in the window, with a 7 ft SSW swell, but the wind is back to a moderate breeze. It's still a good wave, but the Tuesday 4 August is the peak.

Water temp at Halfway is 80°, about average for the time of year, so no worries there.

To sum it up: the first week is a bit of a grind. The best is Saturday 1 August morning, but the absolute standout is Tuesday 4 August. That's the one for the big wave crew. If you're a beginner, this whole period is likely too big for you, especially on the 4th.

Rusty.

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