Houghton Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get stuck into what’s shaping up for our patch.

It’s a bit of a slow and bumpy start, but we’ve got a solid window of clean surf coming if you pick your days right. The first few mornings are a write-off with strong breezes and tiny, poor surf. We’re looking at Thursday the 30th and Friday the 31st of July being a total no-go – the swell is small and the wind is just too strong to make it enjoyable. That’s a couple of days to sit out.

Then Saturday the 1st of August brings a massive spike in energy, but it’s all onshore and messy. The combined energy of all swells is a whopping 4645 – that’s a lot of power – but with a 13ft SSW swell and strong onshore southerly wind, it’s a washing machine. Only for the experts, and even then, it’s not pretty.

Now, hold on to your board. The real standout is Sunday the 2nd of August. The morning session is where it’s at. We’ve got a clean 7ft S groundswell (period 11 seconds) with a light offshore northerly wind. The energy is a solid 1238, and it’s going to be clean. The break is Houghton Bay, a beach and reef setup. The 54° water is about average for the time of year, so a steamer is a good idea. This is the best you’ll get in the whole forecast – look for that morning window. It might be a bit much for beginners, but for intermediates, it’s a treat.

The following Monday the 3rd drops off a little, but still has a clean 5ft S swell in the morning. The wind is a comfortable cross-off. It’s a solid option if you missed Sunday.

The middle of the week gets messy again. Tuesday the 4th and Wednesday the 5th see a return of strong onshore winds and big, lumpy swell. The energy is strong (over 2800) but the quality is gone. Thursday the 6th of August is another second-week highlight. The morning brings a light offshore breeze and a clean 5ft S swell. The afternoon goes completely glassy with a 7ft S swell – that’s a magic moment. It’s a bit more size, but it’s clean and lined up. Keep an eye on that one.

After that, the second week trails off. The swell drops, and the wind turns cross-onshore for the weekend of the 7th and 8th, making things choppy. The energy drops to under 1000, and the quality fades. By the 10th of August, we’re into tiny, ordinary conditions, and the last few days of the forecast are a real struggle with small swell and strong onshore winds.

So, to sum it up: the wait is for Sunday the 2nd of August morning. That’s your stand-out. Thursday the 6th is a promising second option, especially if the wind stays glassy. The rest is a bit of a gamble.

Rusty.

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