Inch Reefs Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here, and I gotta be straight with you—this is one of those outlooks where you’re better off bringing a cold one and watching the horizon than paddling out. The next two weeks at Inch Reefs are looking pretty grim, with barely a ripple worth your time. We’ve got a long stretch of flat or near-flat conditions, and the only real pulse of energy shows up way down the line, but it comes with a ton of wind.

Let’s start with what’s on offer. The tiny surf we get from Thursday 16 July through most of the month is consistently poor. You’re looking at wave heights of 0.7ft to 2ft, mostly from the west, with periods all over the shop—8 seconds, 10 seconds, even a few 13-second pulses that just don’t have the height to do anything. The combined swell energy is weak, reading between 13 and 94, so there’s zero push. Winds are cross-off or cross-shore, mostly light, but when the swell is that small, clean conditions don’t save you. It’s just flat.

The water temp at Inch Reefs is sitting at 65°F, and that’s a very unusual 5°F warmer than average for this time of year. So if you’re having a swim, it’s pleasant, but for surfing? Nah.

The one standout in the whole 16-day window is Wednesday 29 July. There’s a spike in the morning: 7ft swell from the west-northwest with a 9-second period, and the combined energy jumps to 760 (moderate-to-strong). That’s the only real swell of the period. But before you get excited, look at the wind: 19 mph from the west, cross-onshore, lumpy. That’s messy, blown-out surf. At 7ft, it’s getting into the range where beginners should stay well clear, and with that wind, even experienced surfers are going to battle chop. The break is a point, so it might handle the size a bit better than a beach break, but the wind is going to wreck it. Honestly, that setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

After that, it’s back to tiny slop and flat conditions through to the end of the month. There’s a big gap from the start of the period all the way to 29 July with no real recommendations, and then it’s basically over.

So, the long and short of it: Inch Reefs is a no-go for the next two weeks. The only day with real size is 29 July, and it’s a windy mess. Keep your board in the car and wait for a better forecast.

Rusty.

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