Lyall Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, I’m Rusty, and I’ve got the outlook for Lyall Bay – and to be honest, it’s a bit of a slow burn before we get to the good stuff.

The next week or so is pretty flat and uninspiring. The first recommendation isn’t until the afternoon of 12 July, and it’s just 3ft SSW swell with a middling 11-second period and weak wave energy (224). Northerly offshore wind keeps it clean, but the overall quality is very ordinary. That’s followed by a string of days with tiny swell – we’re talking 0.6ft to 2ft for most of the 13th through the 16th. The morning of the 16th does go glassy with a light SE breeze, but with only 1ft ESE swell and 14-second period, it’s more of a longboard float than a proper surf.

The real spark appears on 17 July. Friday morning has 3ft ESE swell (341 energy), and by Friday afternoon it’s building to 3ft from the ESE with a 16-second period and 457 energy. Moderate offshore northerlies at 20 km/h keep it clean. This is the first true standout – a small but tidy groundswell for the experienced crew on the log.

Then from 18 July, things get messy. Saturday is all onshore gunk, with 3ft and then 5ft S swell but hammered by 45 km/h southerlies. Not worth paddling out.

The next real highlight arrives 20 July. Monday morning sees 6ft SSW swell (1234 energy) with light NW cross-offshore wind, but Monday afternoon is the pick of the whole run: 6ft S swell (1646 energy), 17-second period, glassy conditions with a light west breeze. That’s excellent surf for experienced surfers – big, clean lines, long period. This is your target session. The water temp sits at 12°C, about normal for the time of year.

Tuesday 21 July is still very good. Morning has 4ft S swell (1226 energy) and NE cross-offshore, while the afternoon goes glassy with 4ft S swell and a 12-second period. Clean, fun, and manageable for a wider range of surfers.

From 22 July onward, the quality drops. The 23rd and 24th are dominated by strong onshore winds and short-period SE windswell – ugly. By 25 July, there’s a massive 12ft S swell (1942 energy) with 8-second period, but that’s simply too big for Lyall Bay and better suited to experts on a bigger, more exposed set-up. The light NW cross-offshore on the 25th afternoon doesn’t help the dump factor. The last few days into 27 July fade back to small, ordinary surf with 2ft easterly swell and generally poor conditions.

So, bottom line: the best surf on offer is the afternoon of 20 July with that glassy 6ft S groundswell, and the afternoon of 17 July for a smaller, clean ESE pulse. Don’t bother before that unless you’re desperate for a 1ft glass-off.

Rusty.

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