Johanna Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let’s get straight into it. We’ve got a solid 16-day window ahead, and the main event is absolutely Johanna. This stretch is a classic, and it’s going to dish up some serious swells, but you’ll need to pick your moments carefully because the wind is going to be a major player.

The overall pattern is a slow build into a powerful, long-period SW groundswell that starts to really show its teeth on Wednesday the 29th. That day is a monster, but it’s simply too big for anyone but the most experienced crew. The real standout, the one you’d wait for, is Saturday the 1st of August. We’ve got a 3.5m (12 ft) SW swell with a very long 18-second period, combined with clean, cross-off winds from the NNW. The water is sitting at 14°, which is about normal for this time of year.

Forget the earlier part of the week. Tuesday the 28th is a write-off with strong onshore winds and a messy 5m (16 ft) swell. Wednesday morning the 29th is a staggering 7.0m (23 ft) SW swell, but it’s just too much for the break. Thursday the 30th is a messy, choppy drop-off.

Friday, the 31st of July, is where it starts to get interesting. The morning session is a beauty. With a 2.3m (8 ft) SW swell, a 12-second period, and a light cross-off breeze from the NW, the waves will be clean and well-shaped. It’s an excellent day for experienced surfers, and the crowds can be an issue here, so get in early.

But the absolute pick of the litter, the standout of the whole outlook, is Saturday, the 1st of August. The morning is good with a 2.5m (8 ft) SW swell, but the afternoon is where it’s at. We’re looking at a 3.5m (12 ft) SW groundswell with a long 18-second period, and the wind goes clean cross-off from the NNW. The wave energy is very strong. This is the kind of day where Johanna (Victoria) shows off. That long period groundswell will be pushing through, and with offshore winds, it’s going to be a proper session for the experts. The combo of size, direction, and wind is hard to beat.

The next few days (Sunday the 2nd through Tuesday the 4th) are a mixed bag. There’s a lot of energy in the water, but the winds are a bit fickle. Sunday afternoon has a 4.0m (13 ft) WSW swell with light cross-on winds, which is still rideable but not as clean. Monday the 3rd is similar, with a SE cross-on breeze that won’t help.

The second week looks promising. Wednesday the 5th is a classic dawn patrol: 2.1m (7 ft) SW swell, 14-second period, and light offshore winds from the NNE. Clean and lined up. The afternoon drops to a 1.3m (4 ft) SW swell with a very long 18-second period, but the wind is cross-off. It’s still good for a cruiser board.

Thursday the 6th is more of the same, with a 1.2m (4 ft) WSW swell and a 20-second period in the morning under light offshore winds. That’s a very long period groundswell, which will wrap in nicely.

Then we get another pulse. Friday the 7th of August is a standout from the second week. A 3.5m (12 ft) WSW swell with a 16-second period, and the wind is straight offshore from the NNE. This is a major event for expert surfers, with very strong wave energy. It’s promising, but being a week and a half out, it’s one to keep an eye on.

The following weekend, the 8th and 9th, sees a lot of powerful swell, but the wind picks up, keeping it a bit raw. Sunday the 9th has a 4.5m (15 ft) WSW swell with offshore winds, which is big and powerful but still manageable for the right crew.

The final stretch from the 10th to the 12th of August gets messy. The 11th is a total write-off with onshore winds and poor conditions. The 12th has a massive 6.0m (20 ft) WSW swell with a very long 18-second period, but it’s blowing straight onshore from the south, and the forecast says it’s too big for the break anyway. That’s a fizzle.

So, to wrap it up: the best bet is the Saturday the 1st of August afternoon session. The second best is the Friday the 7th of August morning session, but it’s a long-range call. Get on it.

Rusty.

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