Magheraroarty Strand Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the table for the coming weeks. It's a tale of two halves, with a real window of opportunity in the middle, but patience is the name of the game.

First up, we have *Magheraroarty Strand*. This spot is a bit of a challenge to get the timing right. The water is sitting at a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, around 61°, which is a nice little bonus.

The first few days are a write-off, I'm sorry to say. Tuesday the 21st and Wednesday the 22nd are a complete no-go with onshore winds and messy, weak surf. The energy is barely there (165 and 138 Tuesday, dropping to 139 and 113 Wednesday). You’d be better off checking the tides elsewhere.

Thursday the 23rd is even smaller, with the combined energy dropping to just 61 and 51, so that’s a flat day.

Now, Friday the 24th is where things get interesting. There's a pulse of swell coming in, with a clean cross-offshore wind. The swell height is 5 ft from the WNW, with a period of 9 seconds. The combined energy jumps right up to 371 and 333, showing some real grunt is on the way. The conditions are clean, and it's a genuine opportunity to get wet.

But the real standout – and I mean *the* one to circle on your calendar – is Saturday the 25th. We're looking at a solid 8 ft swell from the WNW, with a period of 9 seconds. The combined energy is a massive 948, which is a serious amount of power. The wind is a moderate cross-shore, which is usually workable. However, and this is a big one, the forecast says this swell is predicted to be too big for this break. For a point break that's inconsistent by nature, this much water will make it a real handful. This is expert-only territory, and even then, it's a beast. It's a shame, because the swell is there, but the break just can't handle it.

Sunday the 26th and Monday the 27th are still big, with 7 ft to 7 ft of swell, but the wind turns onshore or cross-shore, and the conditions are lumpy. The scores are poor, so it's not worth the hassle.

After that, the swell drops and the conditions just don't line up. There's a lot of cross-offshore wind, but the quality of the surf is marginal at best through to the end of July and into early August. The combined energy drops off a cliff, and we're looking at tiny, weak waves for days on end.

From the 31st of July right through to the 5th of August, it's a long, flat run. The swell is tiny, the energy is nearly non-existent (down to 3 at one point), and the wind is all over the place. There's a brief moment of glassy conditions on the 3rd of August afternoon, but the swell is only 0.7 ft, so it's just a flat, oily sea.

So, to sum it up: Friday the 24th is your best bet for a decent paddle. It's not perfect, but it's the most consistent and surfable option on offer. Saturday the 25th is a true standout for power, but it's likely too big and dangerous for this spot. After that, the window closes and we're looking at a significant gap of flat, poor surf until the forecast ends. Keep your eyes peeled, but for now, get out on Friday.

- Rusty

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