Honkeys Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right on, folks, let's talk about what's cooking at Honkeys. This is a classic reef setup, exposed to the south swell, so it knows how to light up when the conditions play nice. The water is a warm 84° right now, which is bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

Look, I gotta be straight with you – the next week or so is a bit of a grind. We've got a tiny pulse of swell, around 2ft to 2ft from the SSW, but the wind is mostly a mess of onshore and cross-onshore breezes. The energy is weak, with combined swell energy values sitting in the low hundreds (358, 224, 222). It's pretty flat and messy, not really worth paddling out for.

There's a glimmer of hope on the morning of Tuesday the 21st of July. The wind goes glassy, just a slight air, and we get a 2ft SSW swell with a 14-second period. The combined energy is a modest 299, but that glassy wind is a major positive – it'll be clean as a whistle. The rest of the week is mostly small and sloppy with cross-shore winds, and the swell is barely 3ft. It's rideable, but don't expect any fireworks.

Now, hold on to your board shorts, because the real story starts on Monday the 27th of July. The swell gets a job and starts to push. We're looking at 2ft from the S with a 20-second period, which is a proper long-period groundswell. The combined energy jumps to 697 (moderate), and the wind is a light cross-on. That's starting to get interesting. The afternoon of the 27th keeps it going with 3ft from the SSW at 19 seconds and an energy of 845 (moderate). The wind is light and onshore, but with that long period, Honkeys could set up some proper lines.

The standout, without a doubt, is the whole window of Wednesday the 29th of July. The morning sees a 2ft SSW swell with a 20-second period. The energy is 656 (moderate), but the wind is a cross-on 9 mph breeze. The afternoon, though, is where it’s at. The swell picks up to 3ft from the SSW, still holding that 19-second period, and the combined energy jumps to 1039 (strong). The wind is a bit of a cross-on chop, but for a reef break like Honkeys, that long-period groundswell is what it's built for. It's the best on offer, but that wind is a bit of a spoiler, so keep your expectations in check.

After that, the swell gets bigger but the wind gets worse. By Thursday the 30th and Friday the 31st, we're seeing 4ft to 6ft of swell, but with 16 mph onshore winds that are going to wreck it. The energy numbers are huge (1743, 2702), but it's going to be a blown-out, choppy mess. This is kite surfing territory, not for a clean paddle session. The first of August looks the same – big, raw, and ugly.

So, to sum it up: the best bet is the 29th of July. It's not perfect, but it's the closest we're going to get to a proper session in this 16-day window. The rest is either too small, too windy, or both. Keep an eye on the 27th and 28th for some sneaky clean ones if the wind plays ball.

Rusty.

Read more