Nobbys Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Righto, let’s look at what’s cookin’ for the next couple of weeks. I’ll be straight with you – after this weekend, it gets pretty quiet for a while, but the second week looks like it might just save the whole stretch.

We’ve got one spot to focus on: Nobbys Reef. It’s an advanced reef break that’s pretty exposed to the south and picks up swell best from the southeast. It’s one of those spots that doesn’t break all that often, so when it does, you need to make the call.

The action kicks off this Saturday, 25 July. Saturday morning is looking like the pick of the first few days. We’ve got a solid 6ft south swell rolling in with a nice 12-second period, and it’s glassy with a light offshore northwesterly breeze. The water temp is sitting at 64°F, which is about average for this time of year – nothing weird going on there. The combined swell energy is 795, which is a solid, punchy amount of power for the reef. This is a standout session for the early period.

Saturday afternoon drops off a touch to 5ft from the south, but the wind goes very light offshore from the north-northwest, so it stays clean.

Sunday morning, 26 July is another good look – 6ft south swell, 11-second period, with a cross-offshore westerly breeze keeping things tidy. The energy is still strong at 710.

From Sunday afternoon onwards, things start to slide. The wind swings onshore from the southeast, and the quality drops. We get a glassy moment on Monday morning, 27 July with a smaller 4ft south swell and 9-second period, but the energy is way down at 198, and the conditions are just ordinary.

Then we hit a real quiet spell. From Tuesday, 28 July right through to Saturday, 01 August, the swell is tiny – under 3ft with short, weak periods. The energy readings are pitiful (down to 40 and 16 on some days), and most sessions are poor or just surfable but not worth the paddle. There’s a long gap with no real recommendations here.

Sunday, 02 August stays small but introduces a very long-period swell (18-seconds) from the south, but the swell height is only 2ft. That’s a tease – the period is incredible for shape and paddle-outs, but there’s just not enough height.

Now, hold on, because the real standout of the whole 16-day window arrives on Monday, 03 August (that’s 9 days away). Monday morning looks excellent: 7ft of south-southeast swell, but it’s short-period (7 seconds) from a strong windswell, with offshore wind from the west-northwest. The energy is heavy at 632. Be warned though – at 7ft on a reef, this is expert territory, and the short period could make it a bit lumpy. Monday afternoon jumps to 8ft from the southeast, but the wind goes cross-on, making it a tricky call.

Tuesday, 04 August is another cracker. Morning has 6ft from the east-southeast with clean offshore northwesterly wind and energy at 521. Afternoon builds to 7ft from the east-southeast with the wind staying offshore. Both sessions are rated very good.

Wednesday and Thursday, 05-06 August keep the quality up with solid 5ft to 6ft south-east swell, and the wind stays clean. Thursday afternoon, 06 August sees a nice 5ft east-southeast groundswell, 11-second period, with energy at 554, and clean conditions.

Friday, 07 August morning is the final real barnstormer: 5ft from the east-southeast with a 12-second period, light offshore breeze, and punchy energy at 599. Perfect for the reef.

After that, the swell fades quick. 08-09 August drop under 3ft again, and while the period stays long (11-12 seconds), the size just isn’t there.

So, to wrap it up: the first weekend (25-26 July) is your early best bet, but the clear standout window is Monday 03 August through Friday 07 August. If you’re an experienced surfer and you can wait, that’s the week to be at Nobbys Reef. It’s inconsistent, so when it’s on, you go. Crowds are possible there too.

Rusty.

Read more