Halfway Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty comin' at ya from right here. Let's get stuck into what this stretch of water is serving up.

Straight up, the water temp is sittin' at a balmy 81°F right now, which is pretty much spot on for this time of year – nothing weird going on there.

We’ve got a solid run of surf on the cards, but it’s a bit of a mixed bag. The swell is there, but the wind is the main player mucking things up for a lot of it. For the first week and a bit, from Wednesday the 8th of July right through to about Thursday the 16th, we’re mostly looking at a chunky SSW groundswell in the 5ft to 7ft range with a long period of 13 to 16 seconds. That’s proper energy, massive numbers – we’re talking between 1000 and 2500 (combined energy) – so the ocean has some serious grunt. But the wind, jeez, it’s mostly a stiff cross-off or straight offshore from the ESE, blowing 15 to 22 mph. That’ll keep things groomed and clean for the most part, but that cross-off angle can make it a little tricky to get into the right spot. The wave comments are pretty honest – it’s all labelled “marginal surf forecast” through this period, with scores mostly a 2 or 3 out of 10. It’s surfable, but not what you’d call pumping.

The early mornings on the 9th, 10th, and 11th of July see that ESE offshore wind between 19 and 22 mph, which is a major positive – it’s gonna be glassy and clean out there. We’re looking at 5ft to 7ft swell from the SSW. It’s a bit on the bigger side, so if you’re a beginner, this might be pushing it. For the experienced crew, those early sessions will be the pick of this first block.

Now, you have to hang in there because the back half of the forecast is where the real gold is. There's a noticeable drop in energy around the 12th and 13th – swell drops to 3ft to 3ft and the combined energy plummets to under 500. The break is quiet, but the conditions are good. Then it starts to rebuild.

The absolute standout, the session you’d be mad to miss, is Sunday the 19th of July. We’re looking at 7ft of SSW groundswell with a very long period of 18 seconds. The combined energy is a massive 2800 – you’ll feel that energy pulling you around. The real kicker is the wind: a gentle 9 mph offshore from the ESE, making it glassy and absolutely clean. The catch is it’s a week and a half out, so it’s a promising call rather than a guarantee, but the forecast is screaming “excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers” with a score of 4. This is the one for the crew who know what they’re doing. That long period swell will wrap nicely into Halfway, but keep in mind with a period that long, it can break a bit straight at the beach – find the bank and you’ll be laughing.

Saturday the 18th is also a good shout for the more intermediate surfer. You’re getting 5ft from the SW with a 14-15 second period. The wind is light and variable, almost glassy in the morning. The energy is a solid 964, and it’s labelled as “very good surf conditions”. A much more manageable size for a bigger crew.

Heading into the final few days, the 20th, 21st, and 22nd of July see the swell building again, hitting 7ft to 8ft from the SSW with that 15-17 second period and combined energy levels over 3000. That’s heaps of power. But the wind is back to that cross-off ESE breeze at 15 mph, which keeps it clean but makes it a bit of a battle. It’s big and powerful – only for the experts really. The quality scores dip back down to 2-3.

And just to be straight with you, crowds are something to keep in mind here. Halfway is listed as “sometimes” crowded, so if you get the good windows – like that Sunday the 19th – you can bet a few others will have the same idea.

So, there you have it. A long run of surfable but not perfect conditions, bookended by a couple of real beauties a week and a half out. Keep your eye on that Sunday the 19th. That’s the one.

Rusty.

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