Hammonds Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’m gonna be straight with you – the next couple of weeks at Hammonds Reef are a tough watch. We’ve got a consistent, sheltered reef setup that’s usually a good bet for advanced surfers, but the wind’s just not playing ball. It’s not a total write-off, but you’ll be scratching for a session.

The water temp is sitting at a toasty 68°, which is a full 5° warmer than usual for this time of year – that’s a big anomaly, so you’ll be in for a surprisingly warm dip for July.

The first real glimmer of something that might be worth a look comes on the 23rd of July, Thursday afternoon. The swell’s pushing 3ft from the S with a 13-second period, and the combined energy jumps to 491 (moderate). The wind goes cross, not cross-on, which is a slight improvement. The forecast calls it marginal, but for a reef, that’s where you might find a few. It’s nothing to get excited about, but it’s the best of a bad bunch.

The 24th of July, Friday morning, sees a similar setup with a 4ft S swell at 14 seconds and energy of 688 (moderate). The wind is still cross-on, though, so it’ll be a bit ugly. Then on the 25th of July, Saturday morning, the swell drops to 2ft but the period blows out to a very long 21 seconds from the SSW. That’s a proper groundswell, and with 537 energy (moderate), it’ll have some push. The wind is still cross-on, but for a reef like this, a long-period SSW swell can wrap in okay. It’s a low tide special, if you’re keen.

After that, it’s a long, quiet stretch. From the 26th of July through to the 4th of August, the swell is small – mostly under 3ft – and the wind is almost always cross-on or cross. The energy drops down to as low as 60 (weak) by the 4th of August. There’s a half-decent pulse on the 31st of July, Friday afternoon, with a 4ft S swell and 14 seconds, giving 559 energy (moderate) and a cross wind, but it’s still marginal. The 2nd of August, Sunday, has a 4ft W swell, but the period is a terrible 6 seconds – that’s windswell junk.

Honestly, the standout here is the 25th of July, Saturday morning. The long 21-second period from the SSW, even with the cross-on breeze, is the most interesting swell we see. The wave energy is there (537), and on a sheltered reef, you might get a few clean runners. It’s not a classic, but it’s the pick.

If you’re a beginner, stay away – even the 3ft days are on a reef, and the 4ft to 4ft pulses are pushing it. For the experts, the 25th of July morning is your best bet. The rest of the 16 days is a bit of a blank run, which is a shame for a spot that’s usually consistent. Forecasts can change, but right now, it’s a waiting game.

Rusty.

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