Lighthouse Beach Port Macquarie Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here with a look at what’s shaping up for our local stretch over the next couple of weeks.

First up, we’ve got a bit of a slow start, but it’s not all bad news. The ocean is going to need a few days to clean up after some funky conditions. The main event is definitely going to be a big pulse of swell rolling in towards the end of the month and into the start of August.

Lighthouse Beach Port Macquarie is the only game in town from the data, so we’ll be watching it closely.

There’s a bit of a wait for the good stuff. Monday the 20th and into the early part of the week are a write-off with messy, onshore wind and marginal surf. You’re looking at a 8ft easterly windswell on Monday morning with a short period and a light onshore breeze—not worth paddling out for.

The first real window opens up on Tuesday morning, the 21st of July. The swell drops to a cleaner 5ft from the east, but the magic is in the wind. We’re looking at 5 km/h from the WNW, which is glassy. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so you won’t need a full winter suit just yet. This is a standout for the first week. The combined energy is moderate (594), and with that glassy surface, it’s your best chance for a clean, fun session. The crowd factor is only "sometimes" an issue, so you might have it to yourself.

Wednesday morning the 22nd looks okay too, with a clean 4ft ENE swell and a light cross-offshore breeze, but the energy is dropping (362). It’s surfable, but Tuesday morning is the pick.

The swell drops right off from Thursday the 23rd through to the end of the week. Thursday morning you’ve got a weak 3ft ENE swell (155), and the wind is okay, but it’s pretty ordinary. The weekend of the 25th and 26th gets a little bump in size, but the wind is mostly cross or cross-on, making it choppy. The 6ft SSE swell on Sunday morning the 26th has some energy (815), but the wind is messing it up.

We hit a real flat spot from Monday the 27th through Wednesday the 29th. The swell drops to under 3ft, and the energy is pathetic (as low as 29). The 29th of July is a total dud with 1ft to 2ft slop and no energy. It’s a dead zone for a few days.

Now, hold on to your boards, because Thursday the 30th of July is where it gets interesting. We’ve got a new south swell filling in. Thursday morning shows a 7ft S swell with a clean cross-offshore breeze from the WNW. The energy is solid (916). That’s a good session if you’re experienced. The afternoon gets bigger (8ft) but the wind shifts onshore, making it a bit of a mess.

The real monster is Friday the 31st of July. The morning is a solid 10ft SSE groundswell (energy 2936), but the wind is a moderate cross-onshore, so it’ll be choppy. The afternoon, however, is the standout of the entire outlook. We’re looking at an 12ft south swell with a 13-second period, pushing a very strong energy level (7011). This is a serious, powerful groundswell. The wind is still cross-onshore, so it won’t be perfect, but the sheer size and power will be a spectacle. This is only for experts. An 12ft south swell with that much period will be breaking big and fast, especially on a beach break. This is kite-surfing territory if you’re not a seasoned charger.

Saturday the 1st of August keeps the size up with an 8ft to 10ft SSE swell, but the wind is messy and cross-shore or onshore. It’s big, but not clean.

The swell drops back through the 2nd and 3rd of August, with a 7ft swell on Sunday the 2nd but choppy conditions. The last session worth noting is Tuesday morning, the 4th of August, with a 5ft SSE swell, light wind, and a long 11-second period. The energy is moderate (489), and the wind is a light cross-shore, so it could be a sneaky clean session to close out the run.

The Bottom Line: Don’t bother paddling out until Tuesday morning the 21st of July. That’s the cleanest window in the first week. The big boys should circle Friday the 31st of July for the biggest swell of the period, but it’s a messy beast. For a clean, powerful wave, Thursday morning the 30th of July is your best bet for a solid session without the wind wrecking it.

Rusty.

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