Hebara Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get stuck into what’s coming up for our local stretch. We’re looking at a pretty challenging 16 days, with plenty of wind and a lot of sessions that are just going to be a battle. The water is sitting at 72°, which feels a lot colder than it should be for this time of year – that’s a solid 4° below normal, so you’ll want a thicker steamer if you’re heading out.

Right now, the story is a bit of a slow start. Monday morning is a washout, with a weak 4 ft SE swell, a short period of 7 seconds, and a strong onshore wind from the ESE at 12 mph. No good. The combined energy is a weak 328, and it’s described as poor surf. That theme continues through Monday afternoon, with a tiny 3 ft cross-on swell.

Tuesday the 7th is a little better, but still only marginal. The swell picks up to 5 ft from the SE, but the wind is a breezy cross-shore from the NE, and the 12 mph breeze will keep things messy. The combined energy is 929 (moderate). The afternoon is a bit bigger at 6 ft, but the wind swings to a cross-on.

Wednesday the 8th is where things start to get some size, but the wind is still a problem. We’ve got a 8 ft swell from the SE, with a long 16-second period, which is a proper groundswell. The combined energy jumps to 2881 (strong). The issue is that the wind is a light cross-onshore, so it’s not going to be clean. It’s a marginal call, but it’s the best we’ve seen so far. The swell stays in the 7 ft to 8 ft range through Thursday and Friday, with the same cross-onshore breeze. The period stays long, mostly 14 to 16 seconds, which means these waves will have some punch, but the wind direction is just not our friend here.

The real standout, and the one I’d circle on the calendar, is the weekend of the 19th and 20th of July. Hold on, because this is going to be a big one. On Saturday the 18th, the afternoon session sees a 12 ft swell from the ESE, with a period of 11 seconds. The combined energy is a massive 4516 (very strong). The wind is light and onshore, but the forecast notes that the swell is predicted to be too big for this break. That’s the catch. For a spot like Hebara, a beach and reef setup, that’s expert territory only. If you’re not a charger, stay out of the water.

Then Sunday the 19th builds further. The morning has a 13 ft ESE swell, 11-second period, and combined energy of 6281 (very strong). The wind is a light cross-shore from the NE. Again, the forecast says it’s too big for this break. This is for the brave, and only the brave. The afternoon drops to 10 ft from the E, but the wind picks up to 16 mph, making it a choppy mess.

Monday the 20th still has some size, with 6 ft to 7 ft swells from the E, 12-second period, and moderate cross-shore winds. The energy is 1172 and 1985. It’s marginal, but a lot more manageable than the weekend.

After that, it’s a slow fade. From the 21st of July, the swell drops below 4 ft, the wind stays cross-on or cross-shore, and the combined energy falls into the weak to moderate range. The last few days of the outlook are a write-off, with poor surf conditions and a lot of onshore wind.

So, the bottom line: if you’re a beginner, steer clear of the whole period. The swell is too big for you on the 8th through the 19th, and when it’s small, it’s messy. The best bet for a paddler is the morning of Wednesday the 8th of July, where the 8 ft SE swell has enough energy to give you something to work with, even if the wind is a little cross-onshore. But the real story is the weekend of the 19th of July, which is a massive swell event that’s too big for this spot. If you’re an expert, that’s your window, but don’t expect perfection.

Rusty.

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