Long Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's coming our way for Long Reef.

Right now, we're in a bit of a dry spell. Don't bother paddling out just yet. The good news? This stretch of quiet water isn't going to last forever. We've got a few windows of opportunity if you're patient and picky.

Starting off, Monday the 17th into Tuesday is a write-off – onshore winds and poor surf. You'll be fighting the chop for nothing. Wednesday morning the 19th is the first sign of life. It won't be much, just 2ft from the ESE, but the wind goes dead calm. Glassy as a mirror. It's a tiny, weak wave with a combined energy of (170) – barely enough to get your fins wet. Still, it's a surfable and clean start if you're desperate.

Thursday morning the 20th sees a tiny 3ft from the NE with a short 5-second period, but the wind is cross-off and clean. The energy is weak (114). Same story for Friday and Saturday – small, clean, but incredibly weak. Not worth a special trip.

Now, here's where it gets interesting for the patient surfer. We skip a few days of nothing special until Wednesday morning the 26th. Expect a glassy morning with a 2.3ft southerly swell. The combined energy jumps to (201), and that's when we see our first real positive note: the forecast calls for "good surf conditions". It's a reef break, so that long period of 11 seconds will wrap in nicely, but be warned – it's not a beginner's wave. Crowds are always a possibility here.

But the true standout is the last week of the month. Skip ahead to Friday the 28th afternoon. We've got a solid 2.3ft from the south with a 14-second period, and the wind is howling offshore at 15 mph from the west. That wind will keep it clean as a whistle. The combined energy is pumping at (315). That's your best bet for a clean, fun session in this first week and a half.

Then things get more serious. By Sunday the 30th, the swell is pumping in at 7.5ft to 8.2ft from the south. That's big for a reef. The combined energy is massive (1070), but the wind is cross or cross-off. This is advanced territory only. Not for the faint-hearted. That trend continues into the first of September with a 5.9ft south groundswell (13-second period) and moderate energy (1092). It's still good, but the cross-onshore wind will be a factor.

So to sum it up: Wednesday morning the 26th for the first glassy, clean session. But the real standout for the full 16-day window is Friday afternoon the 28th – clean offshore, long-period south swell, and a reef that loves that direction. It's the best combination of quality and decent size without being a washing machine. Get on it, because the following days are big and heavy.

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