Houghton Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here, and I’ve gotta be straight with you – the next couple of weeks at Houghton Bay are looking pretty average for most of it. It’s a beach and reef setup, exposed to the south, but it’s inconsistent, and we’re gonna have to wait through a lot of slop to get to the good stuff. There’s a real gap at the start here, with nothing worth paddling out for from Thursday, 9 July, right through to the end of Monday, 13 July – that’s five days of poor surf, thanks to strong onshore winds and messy, weak swell. The water temp is about 55°, which is normal for this time of year, so no surprises there.

Thursday, 9 July afternoon, it’s a write-off – 13 ft of slop from the SSE at 8 seconds, with a howling 31 mph SSE wind. That’s brutal, plus the combined swell energy is huge at 2351, but it’s all wind-chop. Friday 10 July is just as rough – 7 ft to 6 ft, short period, onshore wind. Saturday 11 July sees the swell drop to 1 ft to 2 ft, but it’s still onshore, and the period is long (18 seconds) but the energy is weak (298-356). Sunday 12 July is the first chance of something half-decent, with 3 ft SSW swell at 12 seconds, and a light offshore wind from the N on the afternoon. The combined energy is moderate (241-288), and it’s clean, but it’s only a 2/10 call – small and inconsistent.

Monday 13 July through to Thursday 16 July is a desert again – tiny waves, mostly under 1 ft, even with offshore winds. The energy is pathetic (15-92). Friday 17 July brings a spike in swell – 5 ft to 5 ft from the SE at 15-16 seconds, with combined energy around 947-1230 – but strong onshore winds from the SSW at 22-25 mph kill it. Not worth it.

Now for the standout, and it’s the only one worth circling. The best day on offer is Saturday, 18 July. The morning has 4 ft SE swell at 13 seconds, with a slight cross-offshore breeze from the WNW at just 3 mph – that’s glassy. The afternoon is even better, with 4 ft from the same direction, a gentle offshore from the NNW at 12 mph, and combined energy in the moderate range (659-661). The surf is clean, the waves have shape, and it’s a solid intermediate option. Crowds are possible here, so keep an eye out. This is a proper window.

Sunday, 19 July, holds some 3 ft to 3 ft swell with offshore winds, but the forecast is marginal – energy drops to 279-348. It’s okay, but not the standout. Then Monday, 20 July afternoon, we get a jump to 6 ft SSW swell with a short 6-second period, but combined energy is moderate (469) and the wind is offshore – it’s good, but messy.

The second standout, and the best for experienced surfers, is Tuesday, 21 July. The morning brings 4 ft SSW swell with a very long 16-second period, combined energy of 1242, and a gentle cross-offshore breeze. The surf is clean and the waves will have real power, but at a beach break, that long period might make it a bit too straight – best for the reef section. The afternoon pumps up to 7 ft from the S at 8 seconds, with a gentle offshore, energy at 995. That’s big for here, and it’s clean, but it’s pushing into expert territory at over 8 ft? No, it’s 7 ft, so it’s still within the big-but-manageable zone for strong intermediates. Wednesday, 22 July morning, is also good – 6 ft S swell at 7 seconds, glassy conditions with the wind from the E at just 3 mph, and combined energy of 531. That’s a clean, punchy session.

After that, it fades. Thursday, 23 July, is a mess with cross-shore winds, and Friday, 24 July, is back to marginal – 3 ft to 2 ft, clean but weak. The long-range Tuesday, 21 July, is the real highlight, but it’s a week and a half out, so keep an eye on the forecast.

Rusty.

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