Inch Reefs Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, gather 'round, surfers. Rusty here. Let's have a proper look at what the next couple of weeks have got cookin' for us.

This is a classic story of two halves for Inch Reefs. The first week and a bit is pretty grim, with barely anything worth paddling out for. We’re lookin' at a long dry spell from now, all the way through to around the 20th of July. A few tiny pulses of swell pop up, but they're weak and lifeless. It’s gonna be a quiet, frustrating stretch, so don't be afraid to give the ocean a rest and sort your gear out.

The only real light in that first week is the afternoon of Monday the 13th of July. The swell jumps to a meager 1 ft from the SW, but the real story is the wind – a clean offshore from the NE (9 mph) making for some tidy, groomed conditions. The combined energy is still just moderate at 105 (ft-lbs). The wave period is a long 19 seconds from SW, which should give some good shape at this point. It's tiny, but if you're desperate, you might snag a little gem. Just be warned, some of those long-period swells can break a bit straight at beach breaks, but Inch Reefs is a point so it should line up okay. Water temp is sittin' at 62°F – a touch warmer than your average July.

We then hit a real lull until the 20th. The morning of Monday the 20th of July sees a slight lift to 2 ft from the W with a cleaner 11-second period and moderate wave energy of 121 (ft-lbs). Light winds mean it'll be fun for the longboard, but nothing to get properly frothy about. The build continues into the 21st, with the afternoon seeing 6 ft from the W, but the period drops to a measly 6 seconds. The energy jumps to a strong 335 (ft-lbs), but it’s gonna be a windswelly, bumpy mess.

Now, here's where it gets interesting for the experts. Pay attention to Thursday the 23rd of July through to the end of the period. Thursday morning the 23rd offers a clean 4 ft from the WSW with glassy conditions and moderate energy at 204 (ft-lbs). That's the pick for a normal surfer, but the real big dog is Thursday afternoon.

On the afternoon of the 23rd, a massive 12 ft swell from the WSW rolls in with combined energy readings of 1468 (ft-lbs) – that is very strong. The wind is a light cross-shore, but this thing is gonna be a freight train. The data says it's too big for this break, and I'm not gonna argue – over 8 ft is for serious, expert crews only. It’ll be a pulse of raw, draining power. It carries into Friday the 24th of July with a beast of an 18 ft groundswell from the W, 12-second period, and an astronomical energy reading of 9225 (ft-lbs). The wind is cross-shore from the SE (6 mph) in the morning. This is for the absolute lunatics who know what they're doing at a big, unruly point. The wind switches more onshore on Saturday the 25th as the swell drops back to 10 ft, making it less appealing. If you’re not an expert, don’t even look at the water those days; it’ll just be churning whitewater.

So, the standout to focus on if you're a regular surfer is the Thursday morning of the 23rd of July. Clean, glassy conditions with a solid 4 ft. For the elite crew, it's the Thursday afternoon of the 23rd and Friday morning of the 24th – just know what you're getting into.

Stay safe out there.

Rusty.

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