Irmas/Leftpoint Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming our way for the next couple of weeks. Gotta be straight with you – it’s a tough stretch ahead. There’s a long gap of poor conditions before we see anything worth getting excited about.

Right now and through the end of July, it’s a bit of a write-off. For over a week, from Friday the 17th right through to Saturday the 25th, the onshore and cross-shore winds are howling from the ENE at 18 to 25 mph. That’s blowing out any chance of clean surf at Irmas/Leftpoint. The swell is mixed up and lumpy, and the wave energy is moderate but messy. The water temp is about 80° – pretty normal for this time of year, so at least a dip won’t be a shock.

The first sign of life doesn't show up until Sunday the 26th of July, and even then it’s only marginal. You’re looking at 5 ft to 5 ft of east swell with a very long period of 17 seconds (strong energy around 2326-2449). That’s proper groundswell, but the cross-wind from the ENE at 22 mph is still going to put a chop on it. For a reef setup like Irmas, that long-period swell could offer some shape if the wind ever lays down, but it’s not looking clean enough to get excited about.

Things start to get a bit more interesting as we move into the last week of July and the start of August. On Monday the 27th of July, the swell builds to 6 ft in the morning and 7 ft in the afternoon, still from the east, with a long period of 16 seconds. The wind drops to a moderate breeze of 16 mph from the ENE, which is still cross-shore, but it's a step in the right direction. The energy is strong (2745-3237). This is getting into the territory where it’s going to be a handful. Over 8 ft and it’s expert-only, so the afternoon on the 27th is pushing that limit. Tuesday the 28th stays solid with 8 ft in the morning and 7 ft in the afternoon, east swell at 14 seconds, and the wind drops further to 12 mph from the NE in the morning – lighter cross-shore, which is the best we’ve seen.

If I had to pick a standout from this whole period, I’d point to Tuesday the 28th of July. The morning session looks the most promising. You’ve got a solid 8 ft east swell (moderate to strong energy around 2599) and a moderate breeze at 12 mph from the NE. It’s still cross-shore, but it's the lightest wind in the forecast. At Irmas/Leftpoint, that east-northeast swell direction is a good angle for the reef, and with that period of 14 seconds, you’ll have some proper lines coming through. It's big enough to be expert territory, so leave the foamie at home. The crowds are listed as "sometimes", so you might have company, but it shouldn’t be a circus.

After that, things ease off into the 29th and 30th with 5 ft to 6 ft of east swell and moderate cross-shore winds. Still worth a paddle if you’re keen, but not the same quality as Tuesday.

That’s the picture. A long wait, then a solid Tuesday if you’ve got the skills for it.

Rusty.

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