Narrabeen-Alley Rights Surf Forecast and Surf Report

We’re looking at a pretty rough start. Tuesday, July 14 through to Thursday, July 16, there’s just nothing doing – no swell to speak of and tricky winds. Don’t bother paddling out. Friday the 17th and Saturday the 18th get a little bump of small, weak swell sneaking in from the ESE and SSE, but it’s short-period stuff (5 to 7 seconds) and the combined energy is weak (29 to 156). Winds are messy – cross-onshore or onshore – so it’s choppy and pretty ordinary. Not worth your time.

Then Sunday the 19th, we finally see a pulse of east swell arriving at 1.8m and 1.7m, period stretching to 10 seconds. The combined energy jumps into the moderate range (618 and 550). But it’s still marginal – the wind is light but onshore or cross-onshore, so the surface is choppy. You could get a wave, but it’s not clean and the tide might mess with it.

Monday the 20th is similar: 1.6m to 1.7m of east-northeast swell, 10-second period, moderate energy (596 and 503), but winds are light cross-onshore. There are small wind ripples on the face. It’s still a marginal call.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. Tuesday, July 21, is the first standout. The morning brings a light west wind – cross-offshore and clean. Swell is a solid 1.5m from the ENE with a 10-second period, combined energy in the moderate range (406). This is a good, surfable wave. The sets will have some push, and the offshore wind will keep the walls clean. Conditions are much better. Crowds are often here, so expect company – but this is the pick of the first week.

Wednesday the 22nd and Thursday the 23rd both have morning offshore or cross-offshore winds (SW and NW respectively), with the swell holding around 1.5m from the ENE and later E, period 10 seconds, energy around 400 to 459. These are also good, clean mornings. Thursday afternoon even has a light north-northeast cross-offshore, keeping it tidy. Look, these are the days – if you can get out, do it.

Friday the 24th has a morning offshore northwesterly, with swell easing to 1.3m from the east, 10 seconds, energy 333. Still clean but smaller. Saturday the 25th is a real treat: the morning is clean with a light west-northwest cross-offshore, small 1.0m east swell, energy 240, but the Saturday afternoon is glassy – a light northeast breeze, dead calm water, and 0.9m of east-northeast swell. That’s a delight for a clean, small-wave session. Crowds likely here, but with conditions like that, it’s worth the company.

Sunday the 26th holds on with another clean morning – 1.1m east swell, 10 seconds, light west wind cross-offshore. Afternoon gets a bit of cross-shore chop from a southwesterly, but the morning is solid.

Then the wheels fall off. Monday the 27th turns nasty: strong south-southwest winds hitting 45 km/h, cross-onshore, messy, with the swell dropping to 0.9m. Tuesday the 28th and Wednesday the 29th are poor – strong winds, cross-onshore again, lumpy and choppy. Avoid.

The standout is Tuesday, July 21 morning – that clean 1.5m ENE swell with light west offshore wind is the best of the run. Also, Saturday, July 25 afternoon for a glassy small-wave session.

Water temperature is about average for the time of year – nothing unusual to report.

That’s your lot. Stay safe out there.

Rusty.

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