La Caffrine Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on offer at La Caffrine over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, we've got a bit of a slow start. The first few days up to the 19th of July are looking pretty marginal, with very small, choppy surf. The water temp is sitting at 76°, which is pretty much average for this time of year, so no shock there.

The first real standout window kicks off on the morning of Sunday, 19 July. The wind goes glassy, and we've got a 3ft SSW groundswell with a long 16-second period. The energy is moderate (577), and the conditions are set to be clean. The swell direction is a good match for the break. This is the best call for a beginner or someone just wanting to get a few clean, easy waves without any hassle.

Things step up a gear on Monday, 20 July. The morning is glassy again, and the swell jumps to 8ft from the SSW with a 14-second period. The wave energy is strong (2362), and it's described as excellent for experienced surfers. This is a big, powerful groundswell. For a beach break, that long period can make the waves a bit too straight, but for a point or reef, it would be gold. Because it's over 8ft, this is for experts only. The afternoon holds the same size and quality.

The middle of the week (21st to 23rd) sees the swell drop a little, with more cross-onshore winds, so the quality dips. The best of that stretch is the Thursday morning, 23 July, where we get a clean 5ft S swell with a 12-second period and a cross-offshore breeze.

Then we get another good run starting Friday, 24 July, through to Saturday, 25 July. The swell is smaller, around 3ft to 4ft, but it's a clean SW groundswell with a very long period of 15 seconds. The wind is glassy or light cross-offshore, making for nice, clean conditions. The energy is moderate (943 to 1020). This is a great option for a relaxed session on a board with some float.

The week of the 26th through the 1st of August is a tale of two swells. The Sunday morning, 26 July is a standout with a glassy 6ft ESE swell, but with a short period of 8 seconds, so it will be a bit weak and messy. The real magic on the 26th is the Sunday afternoon – a glassy 3ft SSW swell with a massive 20-second period, giving very strong energy (1277). That's a very clean, long-period groundswell. It's a great option for a point or reef.

After that, the size gets seriously big. The 27th and 29th of July, and the 1st of August, all see swell heights of 10ft to 13ft from the SSW. The wind is good, but the forecast says it's too big for this break. At 13ft, it's a beast. The energy is off the charts – 9879 on the 29th of July. This is a powerful, dangerous swell. For a beach break, with that much energy, it's going to be a washing machine, and paddling out will be a mission. This setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Overall, the best bets are the clean, glassy days of Sunday 19 July for the beginners, and the Monday 20 July morning for the experts. For a solid, clean session in the second week, keep an eye on Sunday 26 July afternoon.

Rusty, signing off.

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