Hat Head Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, mates, let’s have a look at what’s coming down the pipe for Hat Head. This is a point break, exposed to the swell, and it’s inconsistent so you gotta pick your windows. The water temp is sitting at around 68°F which is pretty much spot on for this time of year, nothing unusual there.

We’ve got a solid run of surf kicking off from July 5th, Sunday afternoon. It’s gonna be big – 10ft of south swell with a 12-second period. That’s a lot of energy (2492), but the wind is a moderate 16 mph from the south, which is offshore and clean. This is expert territory, though; 10ft is too much for beginners.

The action carries into the start of the week. Monday morning, the 6th, the swell bumps up to 12ft from the SSE, still a chunky 11-second period and energy is high (2651). But the wind goes cross-off, and the conditions are described as marginal tide-wise. Afternoon drops a bit to 10ft, still cross-off wind. It’s doable, but not the peak.

The real standout in this first week is Tuesday morning, the 7th of July. We’re looking at 12ft of SSE swell, period 11 seconds, and the wind is a clean offshore from the SSW at 16 mph. The water is smooth, the energy is massive (3127), and it’s labelled excellent for experienced surfers. This is the one to aim for, but again, it’s a heavy wave – only for the skilled crew.

Wednesday the 8th stays good with offshore winds in the morning (SSW at 9 mph) and 10ft SSE swell. That energy is still well up there (2438). Thursday the 9th and Friday the 10th taper down a bit to 7-8ft, but the winds stay light, so it’s clean and more manageable. Friday afternoon is a beauty with clear skies, light breeze, and 7ft SSE swell (1006 energy).

Then we hit a lull. From Saturday the 11th right through to Tuesday the 15th, the surf drops right off. Swell sizes fall to under 5ft, and the wind turns onshore or cross-shore. A lot of these days get poor or marginal ratings. It’s a real quiet patch where you wouldn’t bother paddling out. There’s a brief flash of hope on Wednesday afternoon the 15th with 3ft and fresh offshore wind, but it’s just too small to get excited about.

Now, for the second week—long range and a bit less certain, but we’ve got some promising size building again. Thursday the 16th sees a jump to 10ft south swell (1991 energy) with clean offshore wind. Saturday the 18th morning has a huge 12ft SSE swell with a very long 13-second period (3597 energy), but the wind is cross-shore and tide conditions are questionable. That long period is great for a point break like this—it’ll hold up better than a beach—but the wind might mess it up. The standout of the second week looks to be Friday the 17th afternoon: 10ft SSE swell, 12-second period, and a light breeze. The energy is enormous (4211), and it’s clean. If you can wait, that’s the one.

After that, the swell backs off into Sunday and Monday the 19th and 20th, with smaller 5-7ft waves and mixed winds, nothing to write home about.

So, if you’re an experienced surfer, get on Tuesday morning the 7th of July for the best of the first week, and keep an eye on Friday afternoon the 17th of July as the long-range gem. Beginners, steer clear of most of this – it’s too big and powerful for you.

Rusty.

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