Merewether - Ladies Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Righto, let’s take a look at what’s on offer for Merewether – Ladies. This is a reef break that’s very consistent and exposed to the swell, with an optimum direction from the ESE. The water temperature here is sitting at 65°F, which is just about bang on average for this time of year, so nothing unusual there.

The start of the period is a bit of a slow burn. Thursday morning the 23rd is surfable but ordinary, with tiny 2ft waves from the E and a gentle offshore. It’s clean, but there’s no real energy to speak of – combined swell energy is a weak 69. The afternoon turns downright poor as the wind swings onshore. Friday the 24th offers a bit more size at 5ft from the S, but the wind is cross-shore or onshore, making it marginal at best.

Now, the weekend is where things start to get interesting. Saturday morning the 25th is a standout. The swell jumps to 5ft from the S with a solid 12 second period, and the combined energy hits a solid 696 – that’s moderate but punchy. The wind is a gentle offshore from the WNW, so it’ll be clean and lined up. This is the best session on offer, no doubt. The wave period is long enough to suggest good shape and energy, though at a beach/reef setup like this, that longer period can mean the waves might stand up a bit more. For an intermediate, this is a ripper. Sunday morning the 26th is also a cracker: 5ft from the S, 12 second period, combined energy of 602, and a light cross-offshore breeze from the W. Clean and fun. Both these mornings are the pick of the first week.

Monday the 27th drops back to 4ft, but the morning is still clean with a light cross-offshore. It’s good, but not as punchy. Tuesday and Wednesday are tiny again, with the swell dropping to 0.7ft on Wednesday the 29th – that’s a dead spell. The period on Wednesday is a super long 16-19 seconds, but with almost no height, it’s a non-event.

Then on Thursday the 30th, things get serious. The swell jumps to 8ft from the S, with a very strong combined energy of 1325. The wind is a fresh offshore from the NW, so it’s clean. But this is big – over 8ft, so this is strictly for experts only. The period is 10 seconds, which is average, so it won’t be too straight. The afternoon gets even bigger at 12ft and 2230 energy, but the wind is cross-offshore. This is proper, heavy surf. For the average punter, it’s a spectator day.

Friday the 31st is a write-off. The wind is a near gale from the SW, and the swell is 12ft with a cross-shore. The combined energy is a massive 4733, but the conditions are dangerous and messy. This is more of a kite-surfing kind of day than a paddle session. The afternoon is a little better with a cross-offshore, but still 10ft – only for the brave.

The first week of August sees the swell drop back. Saturday the 1st has 6ft from the SSE, but the wind is cross-offshore, and it’s marginal. The energy is still moderate at 617. Sunday the 2nd is smaller again at 4ft, and the wind turns cross-onshore in the afternoon, making it choppy. From Monday the 3rd through to Thursday the 7th, the swell hovers around the 3ft to 4ft mark, with some clean mornings but nothing that really gets the heart pumping. The combined energy stays weak to moderate, under 300. The wind is often cross-offshore or glassy on the morning of Tuesday the 4th, which is a nice little window for a clean but small session.

So, the clear standout is Saturday morning the 25th of July, with Sunday morning a close second. The big swell on the 30th is for experts only, and the end of the month is a write-off. The first week of August is a bit of a lull, with small, clean mornings but nothing to write home about.

Rusty.

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