Malua Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here, and I’ve been staring at the charts for Malua Bay. This is a pretty up-and-down run, with a couple of clear windows where the stars align, but plenty of time to sit on the sand too.

We start off Wednesday, July 15, with a punchy 6 ft south-swell rolling in at 8 seconds. The energy is solid (528), and with a light WSW offshore breeze, it’s clean. This is a big one for the week – it’s got some size, maybe a bit much for total beginners, but for anyone comfortable, it’s quality. The swell direction is south-east, which is the sweet spot for this exposed beach.

By Thursday morning, July 16, the swell drops to 3 ft. Still a WSW offshore, but the size is ordinary. The energy is way down (191), so it’s a bit of a lull.

Friday morning, July 17, the swell is tiny – 2 ft – but the wind goes glassy, dead calm. That’s a surreal moment if you’re out there, but the waves are barely there. The energy is just 46. Saturday is similar, with a 1 ft south-south-east swell and a light offshore, but it’s weak.

The real turnaround comes Sunday, July 19. A new swell pushes in from the ENE, 4 ft with an 11-second period – that’s proper groundswell energy (370). The morning has a cross-offshore breeze, so it’s clean. This is the standout of the first week. The longer period means the waves will have some shape and power, but at a beach break, it might be a bit straight, so keep an eye on the banks. Monday morning, July 20, builds to 5 ft with the same period (614 energy), but the wind switches to a cross-onshore, so it gets a bit messy. The afternoon gets a strong onshore, 25 km/h, which is a write-off.

Tuesday afternoon, July 21, is a sneaky good one – 4 ft ENE swell, 10 seconds, with a cross-offshore breeze. Clean waves, moderate energy (362). Then Wednesday morning, July 22, is glassy again with 4 ft, and that’s a beautiful morning for a longboard.

The second week starts to fade. Thursday and Friday, July 23-24, have 4 ft and 3 ft swells, but the winds are mostly light. The energy is down around 238 and 147. Nothing special, but the glassy Friday morning is a quiet option.

July 27 (Monday) brings a new SSW swell, 4 ft with a 10-second period, and glassy conditions in the morning. That’s a nice surprise for the end of the run – clean, small but fun. The energy is 338. The week after that, July 28-30, has small swells (3-4 ft) and mostly clean winds, but nothing that’ll blow your socks off.

The best of the lot? That Sunday morning, July 19, with the 4 ft ENE groundswell and cross-offshore wind. It’s got the energy, the shape, and the wind. The water temp is about average for this time of year – no major anomaly – so the 4/3 wetsuit is fine.

It’s not a total washout, but there’s a big gap from Saturday, July 18, to that Sunday pulse. The crowds at Malua Bay can be often, so be early for the good ones. If you’re into kite surfing, the afternoons with strong onshore wind (like July 20) might be more your thing.

Rusty.

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