Long Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s check the outlook for Long Reef. It’s a slow start, but there’s a couple of days that’ll get your blood pumping if you can hold out.

Right now, we’re in a flat spell. Saturday the 22nd and Sunday morning have nothing worth dragging your board out for—tiny, chopped, or just plain rubbish. But Sunday morning the 23rd is where it starts to look up. We’ve got 5ft of swell from the south, with a 9-second period, and the wind is glassy—dead calm. The water’s about average for this time of year. That’s a clean, fun morning, and the energy is moderate (391). It’s a reef, so it’ll handle the south swell well, and it’s fairly consistent. There might be a few others around as crowds are sometimes a thing here.

Then we hit a dry patch. Monday through to Thursday morning are all marginal with poor conditions and onshore or cross-chop killing the vibe. Don’t bother.

Come Wednesday morning the 26th, though, it gets interesting. 6ft of northeast swell, 8-second period, and a clean offshore breeze from the west. The energy is strong (722). That’s a solid wave, but at that size it’s more for experienced surfers—beginners will be in over their heads. It’s a short-period swell, so it’ll be a bit crumbly, but at a reef that’s not a big deal. The morning is the only window; the arvo turns into a cross-shore mess.

After that, Thursday and Friday mornings offer small, clean waves—3ft to 4ft from the east-northeast, glassy or light offshore winds. Nice for a mellow session, nothing to get excited about.

Now, the real standout is sitting way out there on Friday the 4th of September. Both morning and afternoon are pumping—10ft of south swell, 8-second period, with light offshore breezes. The combined energy is massive (1393 and 1261). That’s a big, powerful swell, and it’s only for the experts. At that size, the reef will be going off, but beginners need to stay well clear. The short period means it’ll be a bit raw, but with clean conditions and that much energy, it’s a session you’ll remember. Crowds are possible, but on a day like that, the lineup will thin out quick.

The rest of the second week is a mix of poor or average conditions—cross-shore winds, chop, and smaller, unremarkable swell. There’s a small window on Sunday the 6th of September morning with 4ft from the east, clean but ordinary.

Overall, the best bets are Sunday morning the 23rd of August for a clean, fun reef session, and Friday the 4th of September for the big, expert-only bomb. The gap between the 23rd and the 4th is full of small, messy, or blown-out days, but that Friday is worth the wait.

Stay patient, and keep your eyes on that Friday.

Rusty.

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