Nine Mile Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, let's have a look at what's on the table for Nine Mile Reef. This is a beginner-friendly reef break, and it's exposed to the swell, so it can pick up a bit of energy.

The water's sitting at about 59°, which is pretty much what you'd expect for this time of year, no real surprises there. The optimum swell direction is from the SSE, but we're seeing a lot of SW groundswell coming through.

We're kicking off on Thursday the 30th of July with a clean, glassy 3ft set from the SSW. The period is a solid 13 seconds, so there's some proper energy in the water (361). It's not huge, but for a beginner spot, it's about as good as it gets with those conditions. Friday morning the 31st is a repeat performance, a smaller 3ft from the SW, but still glassy. The afternoon fades to 2ft, which is getting a bit limp.

Saturday the 1st of August has a glassy 2ft in the morning, but the wind switches onshore in the afternoon, so get out early. Sunday the 2nd has a clean 3ft with a light offshore breeze from the north in the morning, and it goes glassy again in the afternoon. That's a solid day for a long session.

Now, Monday the 3rd of August is a real standout. The morning brings a 4ft swell from the SW with a 14-second period. The energy jumps up to 603, and it's glassy. That's a fantastic combination for this reef—clean, lined-up waves with plenty of push. The best of the first week, without a doubt. The afternoon is a bit more onshore, but still surfable.

Tuesday the 4th has a clean 3ft in the morning with a light offshore, but the afternoon gets a bit messy with a cross-onshore wind.

Then things get serious. From Wednesday the 5th of August through to the 10th, the swell just keeps pumping. We're talking 7ft to 8ft, and even 16ft on the 9th. The combined energy gets into the thousands (2332, 3644, 5583). This is serious, powerful groundswell. For a beginner spot, this is way too big. The forecast says "too big for this break," and I have to agree. This is expert-only territory. The period is long, 14 to 16 seconds, which means those waves are going to be moving fast and breaking heavy. It's only worth looking at if you're a seasoned charger.

After that big pulse, things settle down. Tuesday the 11th of August morning has a 4ft from the SSE with a fresh offshore breeze. 502 energy, clean, and a much more manageable size. That's your second standout. Wednesday the 12th and Thursday the 13th are back to 7ft+ swells, again too big for the average punter.

Friday the 14th of August is another big day, 8ft with a 14-second period. Again, that's for the experts only.

So, to wrap it up. The absolute best on offer for the average surfer is Monday the 3rd of August morning. The 4ft glassy conditions with that 14-second groundswell is perfect. The second best is Tuesday the 11th of August morning with the 4ft from the SSE and a clean offshore wind. Everything else is either too small, too big, or blown out. The big stuff from the 5th to the 10th and 12th to 14th is a wild ocean, not a fun surf.

Rusty.

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