La Palue Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here, and I’ve gotta be straight with you – for the next couple of weeks, La Palue is going through a proper flat spell. There’s no surf worth paddling out for from today, the 6th of July, right the way through the first week and into the second. It’s not until Monday the 20th of July that we finally see something worth getting wet for. That’s a solid two-week gap with almost nothing on offer, so mark that in your calendar.

We start Monday afternoon, the 6th of July, with a tiny 3ft swell from the WNW at 8 seconds, and the combined energy is weak at just 81. That’s not surf, that’s a lake. The wind is onshore and the water is sitting at 67°, which is about 5° warmer than usual – really unusual for this time of year, feeling like a warm bath. Tuesday morning, the 7th, we get a glassy 2ft WNW groundswell at 9 seconds, energy still low at 62, but the conditions are clean. It’s surfable but very ordinary – you could get a few grovelly ones if you’re desperate.

The rest of that first week is a write-off. Wednesday the 8th has a glassy 3ft with a 10-second period and energy bumping to 109, but it’s still pretty weak and the afternoon turns messy. Thursday and Friday have some clean windows with offshore or cross-off winds, but the swell hovers around 3ft to 3ft – just not enough push. Saturday the 11th and Sunday the 12th are similar, with energy dropping back below 100 and tiny waves. By the 13th of July, it’s barely a ripple.

We go through another week of small, weak, and often onshore junk. The 14th of July has a 1.0ft swell with a 12-second period – long period but no size, energy a pathetic 27. The 15th through the 19th see nothing over 3ft, with messy winds and combined energy struggling to hit three digits. The 17th and 18th see some bigger swell building – 5ft and then 7ft on the 18th – but the winds are cross-onshore and the conditions are poor. That 7ft is too big for beginners anyway, and with a short 8-second period, it’s just a bumpy mess. Honestly, this stretch looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Now, here’s the standout, and the only reason I’m not closing the book entirely. On Monday the 20th of July, we get a 7ft swell from the WNW at 8 seconds, with a combined energy of 519 – moderate to strong. The wind is a light cross-offshore from the NE at 6 mph, making it clean. The forecast says “expect very good surf conditions.” This is an exposed expert break, and 7ft is solid – not for beginners, but for experienced surfers it’s a proper session. Crowds can be likely here, so get in early.

Then Tuesday the 21st of July morning is the real gem. We’ve got an 8ft WNW groundswell with a 10-second period, and the combined energy hits 1293 – that’s very strong. Offshore cross-off winds from the ESE at 6 mph, glassy clean conditions. The forecast says “excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers.” This is the best on offer across the whole outlook. That 8ft is expert territory only, but the shape and power will be there. Just remember, with a longer period like 10 seconds, it’ll have more energy and longer lulls, which can make paddling out easier if you time it right.

So for now, sit tight. There’s almost nothing until the 20th, but that Monday-Tuesday window at the end is worth waiting for.

Rusty.

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