Inch Reefs Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin' at Inch Reefs.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – this is a tough spell. We’re looking at a long stretch of mostly flat or tiny, weak surf with pretty ordinary conditions. The first proper surf that’s even worth mentioning doesn't show up until Monday, July 20th, and even then it’s nothing to write home about. We’re talking about a gap of several days with no real recommendations before that.

The water temp is runnin' a lot warmer than usual for this time of year, at 66° with a big anomaly of 5° – that’s very unusual. Feels more like a tropical bath than a typical July.

Let’s walk through it. The best of a bad bunch looks to be Monday, July 20th. On the 20th, we’ve got a tiny 2ft swell from the West, with a long period of 11 seconds on the morning. That long period means there’s a bit of energy behind it, giving it a better shape, but the combined swell energy is weak at 97. The wind is light and cross-offshore from the NNE, which will keep the surface clean. It’s surfable, but very ordinary. The afternoon sees the wind pick up a touch, making it less attractive.

After that, it’s back to tiny, poor surf for the rest of the week. The swell direction is all over the shop, mostly from the West or SW, but the size is barely a ripple. The period is mostly short, under 10 seconds, so it’s weak and wobbly. There’s a glassy morning on Friday, July 24th, but it’s only 1ft – that’s more of a paddle than a surf.

The long-range outlook is a bit more promising, but it’s a long way off. Come Friday, July 31st, we finally see a little pulse. A 3ft West swell rolls in, with a short period of 8 seconds, but the combined energy jumps to 102 (moderate). The winds are light and cross-offshore, so it’ll be clean. It’s still small, but it’s the first sign of life.

Then, into Saturday, August 1st, the swell builds to 4ft and then 5ft from the West. The combined energy gets up to 253 (moderate), but the wind swings around to a cross-onshore, making it choppy. The period is short at 7-8 seconds, so it’ll be a bit of a mess. For a point break like Inch Reefs, that bigger swell with the wrong wind is a real shame. It’s lookin' more interesting for the kite crew than for a clean paddle.

So, there’s no true standout here. If you’re desperate for a paddle, Monday July 20th morning is your best bet, but keep expectations low. The end of the month into August has a bit more size, but the wind is a letdown. Keep an eye on it, but don’t plan your week around it.

Rusty.

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