Nine Mile Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s see what’s running. The forecast kicks off on Friday, July 31st, with a small but clean start. The water temp is sitting at 59°F, about 1°F cooler than usual for this time of year – nothing too crazy, just a little brisk.

We’re looking at Nine Mile Reef (a reef break, exposed to the SSE swell window). It’s a fairly consistent spot, good for beginners, but it can get crowded sometimes.

The opening session on Friday morning is a real treat. Glossy conditions with the wind barely a whisper from the SSE at 3 mph, and a clean 3 ft SW swell rolling in at a nice 12-second period. The combined energy is moderate (288), and it’s just a lovely, easy paddle. The afternoon holds the same glassy feel, just a touch smaller at 2 ft.

Saturday, August 1st, brings clear skies and a glassy morning again, with a 3 ft SW swell that has a bit more grunt at a 14-second period. The afternoon turns a bit onshore, though, so the morning is the pick.

Sunday, the 2nd, is a standout. A crisp morning with a light offshore breeze from the NNW at 6 mph, cleaning up a 3 ft SW swell (13-second period). The wave energy is moderate (227) but the conditions are clean. The afternoon goes back to glassy, so it’s a solid day all round.

Monday, the 3rd, repeats the trick: glassy morning, 3 ft SW swell, moderate energy (343), and a 13-second period. The afternoon gets a bit of an onshore bump, so morning sessions are the go.

Now, here’s the real highlight. Wednesday, August 5th. The morning brings a 6 ft SW swell with a 14-second period, and a strong offshore breeze from the NNW at 16 mph. This is proper, clean, powerful surf. The combined wave energy is strong (1256), and it’s a setup that will have the experts grinning. The afternoon is still very good, just a touch cross-off.

Thursday, the 6th, sees a big jump in size – a 10 ft SW swell with a 14-second period, but the wind shifts onshore from the SSE at 12 mph. The energy is very strong (5770), but at this size, it’s too big for the reef and beginners should steer clear. This is for experts only, and the wind is messy.

Friday, the 7th, is another cracker for the experienced crew. A 7 ft SSW swell, 13-second period, with a light cross-off breeze from the NW. The energy is still strong (1444), but the conditions are clean. The morning is the best bet.

The weekend of the 8th and 9th holds solid size, but the wind is a bit of a mixed bag. Saturday is cross-on, making it choppy, but Sunday the 9th has a nice offshore breeze from the N at 9 mph, cleaning up a 7 ft SSW swell. The energy is high (1936), but it’s manageable for the experienced.

From the 10th, the wind turns messy and the swell drops, making conditions poor. There’s a brief window on the morning of the 12th with a 7 ft SW swell and glassy conditions, but the energy is strong (1598) and it’s too big for the break. The 13th brings a cleaner morning with a 5 ft SSW swell, but the wind is light cross-off, so it’s a decent option for the experienced.

The 15th of August sees a final pulse of big swell – 7 ft to 8 ft SW with a very long 15-second period. The energy is very strong (2230), but it’s glassy in the morning. At this size, though, it’s only for the experts, and the long period means it’s going to be a bit fat and straight at this reef.

Overall, the best bets are the mornings of the 5th and 7th of August for the experienced crew, with the 2nd and 3rd being the sweet spot for the rest of us. The gap between the 10th and the 13th is a bit of a write-off, so keep an eye on the window.

Rusty.

Read more