Lyall Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, and I’ve had a good look at what’s heading our way for Lyall Bay over the next couple of weeks. Strap in, because it’s a wild ride.

We’re starting off with a bit of a flat spell, to be honest. Monday the 27th is a write-off – tiny, messy waves with a cross-onshore breeze. Nothing doing. The good news is that it doesn’t stay quiet for long.

The first real ray of hope turns up on Tuesday the 28th. The morning sees a clean 4 ft swell from the ESE with a nice 12-second period, and it’s going offshore with a light breeze. The afternoon is even better – glassy conditions, dead calm, with the same 4 ft of clean ESE groundswell. The wave energy is moderate (582), and this is the standout session of the first week. Crowds are possible here, so get in early.

Wednesday the 29th stays clean with a stiff offshore wind, but the swell drops to 3 ft and the wind gets strong, making it hard work. By the afternoon it’s a howling 25 mph offshore, which is clean but a real battle to paddle into. Thursday and Friday are similar – small, clean, but blown out by strong winds, with the swell dropping to tiny numbers.

Then things get heavy. From Friday the 31st afternoon through to Monday the 3rd of August, we’ve got a massive pulse of windswell and storm swell. The wave energy skyrockets to four and five-digit values (17009 on the 2nd of August!), but it’s all onshore, howling, and totally unsurfable. This is for the experts only, and even then, it’s a mess. If you’re into kiting, that Saturday the 1st and Sunday the 2nd with 16 ft to 23 ft of southerly swell and gale-force winds might look interesting, but for a paddle surfer? Stay home.

Once that storm passes, the scene shifts. Tuesday the 4th of August is the real prize. The swell has dropped to a solid 7 ft from the SE, with a 12-second period, and the wind is light, cross-offshore in the morning and then gentle offshore in the afternoon. Wave energy is still strong (1282), and the conditions are described as "very good." This is the best day on offer – clean, powerful, and lined up. Get ready for that one.

The following days (5th to 7th of August) are a mix of good, clean, offshore conditions with dropping swell, but still fun. By the 8th, the swell picks up again but the wind turns onshore, making it tricky. The real standout of the second week arrives on Sunday the 9th of August. The morning serves up 8 ft of SE swell, strong offshore winds, and very good conditions. The energy is strong (1118), and it’s clean. This is a big, powerful day for the confident crew.

After that, the run into the 10th and 11th of August is manageable but a bit ordinary, with moderate to fresh offshore winds and dropping swell. You’ll get waves, but the magic is gone.

So, to wrap it up: Tuesday the 28th of July is your glassy, clean winner for the first week. Tuesday the 4th of August and Sunday the 9th of August are the big, powerful, clean standouts for the second week, but the 9th is a tad less certain being further out. Stay safe out there.

Rusty.

Read more