Lighthouse Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s on offer at Lighthouse Reef.

First up, the water temp. It’s about average for this time of year, nothing crazy, just your standard winter dip.

Right now, there’s nothing happening. The first chance to get wet is Saturday morning (July 4th) with tiny 1ft waves from the east – not worth paddling out for. That sets the tone for a pretty lean run. Honestly, the first few days are a write-off. Saturday afternoon picks up but with a messy cross-off and a short-period swell, it’s not clean.

Sunday and Monday are a total washout – poor conditions, lumpy cross-shore winds, and sketchy shape. Don’t bother.

Things start to look up early Tuesday morning (July 7th). The swell jumps to 6ft from the east-southeast with moderate energy, but the wind is cross-off, so it’s rideable. Still, it’s marginal, not a standout.

Wednesday morning (July 8th) is the real gem of this forecast. We’ve got 5ft of east swell with a solid 11-second period – that long period groundswell energy will set up nicely at this reef and beach setup. The wind is light and cross-off, so the face should be clean and lined up. For the advanced crew, that’s the window to hit it. The afternoon gets a bit more energy but a straight onshore wind kills the quality – stick to the morning.

Thursday and Friday are average at best. Thursday has decent swell height but onshore winds chop it up. Friday morning sees a return to 4ft from the east-southeast with light cross-off winds – clean but not special.

Saturday morning (July 11th) is my second pick. Offshore WNW winds at 9 mph blowing into 4ft of east-southeast groundswell. That’s glassy, clean, and will have some push. The crowd factor is “sometimes” here, so expect a few heads, but it won’t be a zoo.

From there, the swell fades into the second week. Sunday (July 12th) through to Wednesday (July 15th) deliver consistent knee-to-waist high waves, mostly in the 2ft to 3ft range. A few glassy windows pop up, like Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday afternoon – clean and tiny. It’s a good time for a longboard or a learner who can handle the inconsistent sets, but there’s no real power behind it.

Thursday (July 16th) brings strong southerly winds and a messy cross-shore – forget it. The final two days, Friday (July 17th) and Saturday (July 18th), offer small, clean windows with offshore or glassy conditions, but the swell is under 3ft and weak. Saturday afternoon is pure glass – beautiful to look at but barely breaking.

For the standouts: Wednesday morning (July 8th) is the pick of the forecast. Best size, best period, clean wind. Saturday morning (July 11th) is the backup – smaller, but with offshore wind and decent shape. Anything beyond that is a hopeful paddle for the longboard crew.

Remember, Lighthouse Reef is an advanced, inconsistent spot, so don't expect waves every day. The early gap is a few days of nothing. Past the first week, it thins out fast.

Stay stoked,
Rusty

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