Inch Reefs Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for Inch Reefs over the next couple of weeks.

The short story is, it’s pretty quiet for paddle surfing for a long stretch. We’ve got a real dry spell on our hands. The first real glimmer of anything worth paddling out for doesn’t show up until Monday morning, the 10th of August, and even then, it’s barely a whisper. After that, there’s a pulse of energy that builds towards the middle of the second week, but the wind just won’t play nice.

Let’s break it down. From now until Sunday the 9th, it’s flat and messy. Tiny waves, cross-shore breezes, and a whole lot of nothing. The water temp is sitting at 64°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, but that’s about the only thing going for it.

Monday the 10th, we finally get a little pulse. Early morning brings a glassy, clean surface with a tiny 3ft swell from the WNW. The energy is weak, only about 104, but those glassy conditions are a rare treat. The period is a middling 8 seconds, so it’s not going to have much punch. It’s a tiny window, but if you’re desperate for a paddle, that Monday morning glass-off is your only real shot.

The rest of that week and into the next is a tough watch. The swell does pick up – we see a 5ft SW swell on Wednesday the 12th with a combined energy of 408, and a 4ft swell hangs around for a few days. But the wind is always cross-on or onshore, chopping it all up. It’s frustrating because there’s energy in the water, but the quality is just poor.

The one standout in this whole 16-day window is Friday morning, the 14th of August. We’ve got a clean 4ft W swell, with a period of 8 seconds. The combined energy is a solid 202, so there’s some push. And the wind is glassy. That’s the word. Glassy. For a point break like Inch Reefs, that’s as good as it gets. The swell direction is W, which is a bit off their optimum SW, but when it’s that clean, you take it. Keep in mind, this spot can get crowded sometimes, so get there early.

After that, the weekend of the 15th and 16th falls apart again, and the following week looks like a windy mess. A 6ft swell on the 20th of August with a 7-second period and a fresh cross-onshore wind is just a washing machine. That’s more of a kiteboarding day than a surf day at a beach-and-reef setup like this.

So, bottom line: the best of the bunch is that Friday morning, the 14th. It’s a long way out, so don’t book the day off work yet, but it’s the one to watch. For everything else, keep your expectations low.

Rusty.

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