Mckenzies Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, checking in on Mckenzies Beach. It's a point break that's very consistent, and the optimum swell direction is from the SE, so we've got a bit of a wait on our hands for the good stuff.

The overall pattern for Mckenzies Beach is a slow, frustrating start with a few windows of clean, surfable waves, but the real pay-off is a stretch of standout sessions coming in about a week's time. Right now, through this weekend and into early next week, the swell is pretty gutless and very ordinary. Thursday morning the 23rd has some tiny 3ft clean waves, but with a combined energy of just 112 (weak), it's a knee-high dribbler at best. We get a few more mornings like that – Friday and Saturday mornings are clean too, but the swell is still small at 1ft to 3ft and short-period, so not much push.

There's a big gap with nothing worthwhile from Tuesday the 28th right through Wednesday the 30th. The surf is either non-existent or a total mess. On Wednesday afternoon the 29th, a bump of 5ft shows up but it's windblown with a short 7-second period and onshore wind, so it's just junk.

Now, the standout action starts on Thursday morning the 30th of July. That's the first real standout. We're looking at a serious 12ft swell from the south, with a long 11-second period, and it's clean with a light offshore wind. The combined energy is a massive 4407 (very strong wave energy). But here's the honest truth – that size is too big for this break. It's a point break, but 12ft is expert territory. Even with clean conditions, the setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing at that size.

The real pick of the week, the absolute best on offer, is Saturday morning the 1st of August. After the big swell drops, we get a solid 6ft groundswell from the SE (matching the optimum direction), with a 12-second period. It's glassy, the combined energy is a solid 980 (moderate to strong), and the wind is off. Conditions will be prime, with well-shaped waves rolling through. Crowds are often at Mckenzies, so expect company, but this is the session to aim for.

The other standout to mention is Tuesday afternoon the 4th of August. A 6ft SE swell with a short 7-second period and glassy conditions. The combined energy is 605 (moderate). The period is short, so the waves will be weaker and more crumbly than a longer-period swell, but the glassy wind and clean surface make it a very surfable option.

Early mornings on the 31st of July and the 2nd of August are also good runners-up, with clean 6ft swell and a glassy 4ft swell respectively. After that, the swell fades back down to small, ordinary waves.

So, to sum it up: get through the first week of small, clean junk. The big day on the 30th is too big. Lock in Saturday morning the 1st of August for the best combination of size, direction, and conditions.

- Rusty

Read more