Monwabisi Strand Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's get stuck into what's on the cards for the next couple of weeks.

We're looking at a pretty mixed bag ahead. The first few days are a bit of a write-off, with a lot of onshore and cross-shore winds messing up the conditions. The real action starts to build towards the end of the period, especially around the 23rd of July, when a massive pulse of energy is due. But there's a big caveat there.

Starting off, Thursday the 9th of July through to Saturday the 11th is a bit of a struggle. We've got a solid 7 ft to 7 ft swell from the SSW, but it's being chopped up by cross-onshore winds. The combined wave energy is strong, between 1200 and 1600, but the quality is just not there. It's a no-go for paddle surfing, to be honest.

Sunday the 12th of July morning is the first real glimmer of hope. The swell drops to a manageable 5 ft from the south, combined energy at 867 (moderate), and the wind goes light and cross-offshore. It's clean, and you'll get some fun, albeit small, waves. The morning is the call.

Monday the 13th of July morning is glassy but the swell is only 4 ft from the SE with a short period of 7 seconds. It's small and weak, but glassy conditions mean you might get a few fun ones if you're patient.

Then we hit a bit of a lull from the 14th to the 20th. The swell drops right off, with heights mostly below 3 ft. There are a few clean moments, like the 18th of July Saturday morning with a 3 ft south swell and light cross-offshore wind, but it's really marginal. You'll be looking at knee to waist-high dribble for the best part of a week.

Now, here's where it gets interesting. On the 21st of July Tuesday morning, the swell jumps back up to 8 ft from the SW, with very strong combined energy over 1900. But the wind is a strong cross-shore, making it choppy and messy. It's a lot of water moving around, but not in a clean, surfable way.

The standout, and I mean the real standout, is Thursday the 23rd of July. This is a beast. The morning shows an 12 ft SSW swell with a very long period of 18 seconds. The combined energy is a massive 6779 (very strong). The wind is light and cross-offshore, making it clean. The water is likely going to be a bit warm for this time of year, which is a bonus. But, and this is a big but, this is a sandbar setup and that swell is just too big. Over 10 ft, this is strictly for experts only. A long-period groundswell like this (18 seconds) will be breaking straight and fast on the sandbars, making it super critical and dangerous. It's a proper big-wave day, not for the faint of heart. The afternoon is also a 10 ft clean swell, but still too big for most.

Friday the 24th of July keeps the big swell running at 10 ft from the SSW, but the wind swings to a strong offshore, which will keep it clean, but again, only for the experts.

So, the best bet for a regular surfer is that Sunday morning on the 12th of July. It's small and clean, but it's the most accessible window. For the heavy hitters, circle the 23rd of July. Just be aware of the size and the power.

- Rusty

Read more