Indicators Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's see what's on the cards for the Indicators break.

It's a tricky start to this outlook. The first week is pretty much a write-off for any decent paddle surfing. We've got small, weak swell from the SSW and SW, barely cracking 4ft, and the wind is mostly onshore or cross-on. The energy is feeble, a lot of the time sitting in the low hundreds, showing it's just not got any punch. The water is sitting at 60°F and running a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, but that's about the only bright spot.

There's a bit of a tease on Monday morning, 20th July, with glassy conditions and a 2ft SW swell, but it's just too small and weak to get excited about. The rest of that week into the 24th is a slow grind of poor surf, onshore winds, and marginal conditions.

Now, hold on. Things start to change late in the second week. The standout period kicks off on Sunday, 26th July afternoon. The wind goes glassy, and we get a 3ft SSW swell with a very long period of 19 seconds. The combined energy is moderate. It's not huge, but that long period and clean glass will make for some nice, lined-up waves. This is a good one for the more experienced surfer, as a long period groundswell like this can be a bit tricky at a beach break, but it'll be clean.

The real highlight though, the best on offer, is Monday, 27th July afternoon. The wind goes glassy again, and the swell bumps up to 4ft from the SSW with a 19-second period. The combined energy is strong. This is proper groundswell energy. The forecast says "expect very good surf conditions." This is the one to circle. The glassy wind and that long-period energy will produce some beautiful, clean waves. It's still a size that's fine for most intermediates, but with that period, the better surfers will get the most out of it.

Following that, Tuesday, 28th July afternoon is also excellent, with glassy conditions, a 4ft SSW swell, and strong combined energy. This is another top-tier session.

Then we get a big shift. On Wednesday, 29th July morning, the swell jumps to 8ft from the NW, but with a short period of 10 seconds. That's a lot of whitewater, with very strong energy. This is expert-only territory, and the short period will make it a bit of a washing machine. The wind is also onshore, so it's a messy, powerful day. The following days fade quickly, with the surf dropping right back off into the first days of August.

To put it plainly: the first week is a dud. The real action is on the 26th, 27th, and 28th of July, with late July 27th being the absolute standout. Keep an eye on that long-range forecast for the 27th, as it's a bit of a wait, but it has the potential to be a cracker. The crowds are listed as 'often' here, so be prepared to share the peak.

Rusty.

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