Lyall Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here with a look at what Lyall Bay has got cooking for us over the next couple of weeks. It’s a bit of a mixed bag, so let’s get into it.

We’re starting off on Tuesday, July 21st, with a bit of a pulse. The water temp is sitting at 53°, which is pretty much spot on for this time of year, nothing unusual there. We’ve got a 5ft south swell rolling in with a long 13-second period, pushing a decent amount of energy (813). The wind is blowing from the north at 15 mph, which is super clean and offshore. It’s a solid, fun option for anyone who can handle a bit of a paddle. The downside is Lyall Bay can be inconsistent, and it’s a beginner-friendly spot, so this size might be a little much for total newbies, but for the rest of us, it’s a nice start.

Wednesday morning, July 22nd, the swell drops a touch to 4ft from the south, with a light 3 mph northeast breeze keeping things clean. The energy is moderate (327). It’s a smaller, more manageable session, good for working on your turns. Wednesday afternoon sees it drop further to 2ft from the SSW, but the wind goes completely glassy, zero mph. That’s a rare treat for a clean, if small, afternoon session. Energy is light (234).

Thursday, July 23rd, is a write-off. The swell crashes to 1ft, and the wind swings hard from the north at 22 mph. It’s just too small and blown out. The energy is weak (79). Friday the 24th is even worse with 0.7ft swell and 28 mph winds, creating a strong offshore that’s clean but impossible to paddle into.

Saturday, July 25th, gets ugly. We’ve got onshore winds from the south at 22 mph, which is just messy. The morning has a short-period 4ft swell (97 energy), but the afternoon brings a sudden jump to 10ft (932 energy). That’s a big, messy, onshore wall of water. This is not a paddle day; the setup is more interesting for kite surfing.

Sunday, July 26th, is another mess. Onshore winds and a 7ft to 8ft swell with a short, weak period. Skip it.

Monday, July 27th, is a big one, but it’s a problem. The swell hits 12ft from the south (1820 energy in the morning, 2262 in the afternoon). The wind is light and favorable, but the swell is too big for this break. Experienced surfers only, and even then, it’s going to be a beast. The wind is clean, but this is strictly for experts.

Tuesday, July 28th, is where the real stand-out is. The swell drops to 7ft in the morning and 7ft in the afternoon from the south-southeast, with a long 10-13 second period. The combined energy is very strong (1616 and 1956). The wind is a clean offshore from the north-northwest at 15 mph, then north at 12 mph. This is excellent for experienced surfers, with proper, well-shaped waves. This is the best session on offer in this first week.

The rest of the week is a bust. Wednesday the 29th through Thursday the 30th is blown out by strong onshore winds and messy swell.

Then, on Friday, July 31st, we get another nice little window. The swell is 5ft from the southeast with a very long 13-second period (778 energy). The wind is light and variable, going offshore from the north-northwest at 9 mph in the afternoon. This is a very clean, long-period groundswell that will offer excellent, well-shaped waves. It’s a great option for the weekend.

Saturday, August 1st, is marginal with a smaller 3ft swell and fresh offshore winds. Sunday, August 2nd, has a brief clean window in the morning with a 3ft swell, but it gets trashed by strong onshore winds in the afternoon.

Now, looking further out, Monday, August 3rd, through Wednesday, August 5th, we get another massive pulse. The swell goes from 12ft to 15ft from the south-southwest and south, with very strong to extreme energy levels (3221 to 7571). The wind is favorable, but the swell is once again predicted to be too big for this break. This is expert-only territory, and even then, it’s going to be a wild, dangerous paddle. The long-period swell will be breaking straight at the beach, so it’s not ideal. For a point or reef, sure, but here it’s just a massive, close-out shorebreak.

So, in summary, the best bet is Tuesday, July 28th, for the experienced surfers, and Friday, July 31st, for a cleaner, more manageable session. The rest is either too small, too windy, or too big.

Rusty.

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