Junkyards Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then, let’s talk about what’s on offer for Junkyards. This is a reef setup, and it’s exposed to the swell. Water temp is sitting at 84°, which is pretty much spot on for the time of year, nothing unusual there.

First thing to say is, we’ve got a monster of a swell arriving, but it comes with a serious caveat. Thursday morning, July 9th, we’re looking at 13ft of SE swell, period a solid 16 seconds, with a fresh offshore breeze from the east at 19 mph. The wave energy is already strong (7903), and it’s clean. That’s a solid, powerful groundswell, and the offshore wind will make for some beautiful, lined-up waves. It’s getting big, though. By Thursday afternoon, it’s up to 15ft with a 17-second period, and the energy is pumping hard (12477). Still clean. This is for the experienced crew only – that’s expert territory.

Now, Friday July 10th is where it gets truly wild. Morning sees 23ft of SSE swell, period 18 seconds, and easterly wind at 31 mph. The combined energy is a massive 30480. This is a serious, serious groundswell. The wind is cross-offshore, so it’s still clean, but the size is just outrageous for this spot. The guidance says the swell is predicted to be too big for this break, and I’m with that. You’d need a jet ski and a death wish. This continues through Saturday July 11th, with 30ft of S swell on Saturday morning and energy hitting 93581. The wind is strong cross-offshore. It’s just too big and dangerous for paddle surfing. Truth be told, with that kind of wind and size, this setup looks far more interesting for kite surfing than a paddle board.

The wave energy drops fast after that. Sunday July 12th is still big at 12ft, but the wind swings cross-shore and the period drops to 12 seconds. It’s lumpy. By Monday July 13th, we’re down to 7ft, but the wind is cross-offshore and the period is 10 seconds, so it’s clean, but the energy is moderate (1033). The surf quality is marginal.

Then we hit a long, flat spell. From Tuesday July 14th through to Wednesday July 22nd, the swell is tiny, mostly under 5ft, with short periods (8-10 seconds) and cross-shore or onshore winds. The energy is weak (100-400 range). It’s a classic blank run for this area. Nothing worth paddling for. A few days with small, clean, 4ft to 6ft waves toward the end of that stretch, but it’s just not enough to get excited about.

The real standout in the second week, and the only other one worth mentioning, happens on Thursday July 24th. It’s still a bit of a gamble this far out, but the forecast shows a 5ft S swell, period 10 seconds, clean, with glassy conditions. The energy is moderate (584), and the comment says “expect very good surf conditions.” That’s the one to keep an eye on. It’s a far cry from the earlier giant, but it’s the only clean, rideable option in the second half of the outlook.

So, to sum it up: the best on offer is definitely Thursday morning, July 9th, with that 13ft SE groundswell and offshore wind. Get it while it’s big but still manageable. The Friday and Saturday are just too big. Then there’s a long wait until Thursday July 24th for a clean, smaller session.

Rusty.

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