Johanna Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a good look at what’s coming down the pipe for the next couple of weeks.

Well, it’s a bit of a rough start, honestly. There’s a big, lumpy, wind-affected swell on the way for this weekend and the start of the week, and it’s going to be a write-off for any decent paddle surfing. The water temperature is sitting at 58°, which is pretty much what you’d expect for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The first real chance to get a wave in without getting chewed up and spat out is going to be Monday morning, 27 July. The wind will finally clock around to a nice cross-offshore from the NNW, and the swell will be a clean, solid 7 ft from the WSW. It’s a bit of a lumpy period at 11 seconds, but it’s clean. Not a standout, but a start.

We’ve got a few days of ‘marginal’ conditions after that, with a big pulse of SW swell hitting on Tuesday afternoon, 28 July. That’s 15 ft of SW groundswell at 15 seconds, but the wind goes straight onshore and messy, so that’s a hard pass from me. The energy in that pulse is absolutely pumping (9041), which tells you how much power is in the water, but it’s just too blown out.

The real standout, the one you want to circle on the calendar, is Saturday, 1 August. The morning will see a clean 10 ft SW swell with a very long period of 18 seconds, and a cross-offshore NW wind. That’s a recipe for some absolute freight trains at Johanna. The energy is strong (5825), and by the afternoon, it jumps to 13 ft with the same long period and clean wind. This is the best day of the whole outlook – a seriously good, powerful, clean groundswell. This is for experienced surfers only, though; 13 ft is big, and with that 18-second period, it’s going to be a lot of water moving around. The break is a point and beach, so the long period will make it a bit walled at the beach, but the point should handle it beautifully. It’s a very consistent break, so there will be waves, but expect crowds because it’s often busy when it’s good.

The following week is quieter. Tuesday, 4 August morning looks like a fun, small option with clean 4 ft SW swell and a nice offshore NNE breeze. The energy is low (635), so it’s more of a longboard or a grovel board kind of day. Then Friday, 7 August morning throws up another promising one: 8 ft of W swell with a very long 18-second period and a light cross-offshore NW breeze. That’s another solid, clean groundswell (6263 energy) that should be a ripper, especially for the more experienced crew. The wind stays clean through the afternoon as the swell pushes up to 10 ft.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a write-off thanks to the wind. The standout day is clearly Saturday, 1 August, with that big, long-period SW groundswell and clean winds. The second week has a couple of solid days, particularly Friday, 7 August, but those are a bit further out, so keep an eye on the forecast. It’s a promising run, but you’ve got to be patient and pick your days.

Rusty.

Read more