Mavericks Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer for the next couple of weeks. It’s been a bit of a mixed bag, but there’s a real window of opportunity if you know where to be.

The whole period is built around one spot: Mavericks. It’s a heavy reef setup that demands respect, and it’s exposed to the swell, mostly lining up with a WNW direction, which is its sweet spot. The coming days show some small, cleanish windows, but the real muscle shows up as we head into the first weekend of August.

We kick off on Wednesday morning, July 29th. The surf is small at 3ft from the SW with a long 16-second period. That’s a classic groundswell, giving waves some shape, but the combined energy is only moderate at 981. It’s surfable, but nothing to get too worked up about.

The next few days are touch and go. Thursday the 30th and Friday the 31st see a bit more size, with heights around 6ft coming from the WNW, but the period drops to 8 seconds — that’s a short-period, choppy windswell. The combined energy stays moderate (1023 on Thursday morning). The wind is cross-onshore or onshore most of the time, so the surface won’t be clean. It’s not the best.

Now, here's where it gets interesting. Saturday morning, August 1st, is your best bet early on. The swell is 6ft from the WNW, with that same 8-second period. The combined energy is 916 — moderate. But the key is the wind: light breeze from the WNW, blowing offshore. That will clean up the face at Mavericks. For a spot this heavy, 6ft is a solid size, but with the short period, it could be a bit jumbled. Still, glassy conditions on a day with some push is worth the early alarm. This is beginner territory (over 5ft), so this one is for the skilled crew only.

Sunday the 2nd also has size, with 6ft to 8ft from the WNW through the day. The combined energy jumps to 1715 in the afternoon — that’s strong energy. The morning has light offshore wind too (WNW, 10 km/h), making it another clean window, but the afternoon gets onshore chop again.

After that, things start to fade. Monday the 3rd has 6ft swell and the wind swings to a cross-shore from the SSW, which is a bit better but still not glass. The energy drops (710). By the end of the first week and into the second, the size fades to under 3ft, and the poor conditions set in. From around August 6th onward, we’re looking at a stretch of small surf, often below 3ft, with a lot of cross-onshore wind. It’s not going to be worth the paddle.

There is a late, faint pulse around August 9th with a 2ft, 16-second SW groundswell, but the energy is low (305) and the wind is onshore. Not a standout.

For a true standout, Saturday morning, August 1st, at Mavericks is the call. It’s the best combo of size, offshore wind, and swell direction lining up with what the place likes. Just remember, at 6ft, this is big, powerful water — experts only. And with crowds marked as “sometimes,” expect a few other souls out there chasing the same clean morning.

Overall, we’ve got a short window of decent, punchy surf early next week, then a big dry spell. It’s not a total write-off, but you gotta pick your moment.

Rusty.

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