Long Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here with a look at what Long Reef has in store for us over the next couple of weeks. It’s a bit of a mixed bag, but there are some absolute gems if you play your cards right.

The water temp is sitting at a pretty standard 64°F, right on the money for this time of year.

First up, we have a slow start. The early part of the week is messy with onshore and cross-shore winds making things choppy. Tuesday the 21st and Wednesday the 22nd are not really worth paddling out for. Things start to look up on Thursday morning the 23rd with a clean, moderate offshore wind, but the swell is only 3ft from the ENE with a short 9-second period – just enough to get wet but nothing to write home about.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. Friday the 24th of July is your first real standout. We’ve got a clean 6ft swell cranking in from the south, producing moderate wave energy (886). The gentle offshore wind will have the lines looking tidy. This is a great session for any experienced surfer.

Saturday the 25th is the real headline act in the first week. The morning is firing with a clean 5ft south swell, and the period jumps to a very long 12 seconds. This is proper groundswell energy (712) with a moderate offshore wind. Long period stuff like this at a reef break like Long Reef is a dream – the waves will have real punch and shape. It might be a touch big for beginners, but for the advanced crew, this is as good as it gets. Keep an eye on the crowds, as it can get busy here.

Sunday the 26th continues the run with another solid morning: 5ft of south swell at 11 seconds, with a gentle offshore breeze keeping it silky. Another excellent session on offer.

After that, the swell drops a bit into the start of the new week, with smaller but still clean waves on Monday the 27th and Tuesday the 28th.

We then hit a bit of a lull from the 28th afternoon through to the 29th, with tiny, almost flat conditions. But don’t write it off, because right at the end of July, things go ballistic.

Thursday the 30th of July is another massive standout. The morning is clean and building, but the afternoon is the main event. We’re looking at a pumping 7ft south swell with a 12-second period. The combined energy is a massive 1290, and the wind goes light offshore. This is serious, powerful surf. At over 7ft, this is strictly for the experts. This is the set of the forecast period.

Friday the 31st and into the weekend of the 1st and 2nd of August offer cleaner, smaller waves in the mornings, but nothing compared to that Thursday peak.

Then, a note for the real die-hards: the second week of August starts with a bang. Monday the 3rd of August is clean, but Tuesday the 4th is one for the history books. The morning shows a massive 8ft south swell (period 11 seconds) with a light offshore wind. The energy reading is a colossal 2304 (strong wave energy). This is huge, heavy reef break territory. If you have the skill and the nerve, this could be a day you’ll never forget. The afternoon stays big but picks up a cross-onshore wind.

So, bottom line: mark your calendars for Saturday the 25th of July and Thursday the 30th of July. Those are your best shots at Long Reef for the next couple of weeks.

Rusty.

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