Number Fours Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let’s break down Number Fours for the next couple of weeks.

First week is a bit of a grind. The wind is blowing hard from the ENE, cross-off, and the swell is a mess of short-period wind and long-period stuff that just doesn’t line up. Water temp is about average for the time of year. From Friday the 17th through Sunday the 20th, it’s a total write-off – scores are zero, and the energy is weak to moderate (329 to 551). Not worth getting wet.

Monday the 21st and Tuesday the 22nd are a little better, but still marginal. Swell is tiny, around 3 ft to 3 ft, with a long period from the S (14 to 16 seconds), but the wind is still cross-off at 15 to 19 mph. Energy is moderate (506 to 571), but the waves are just not there.

Mid-week, Wednesday the 23rd and Thursday the 24th see bigger energy numbers – 752 to 1160 – but the swell height is still small to moderate (2 ft to 5 ft). The real standout is the long-period groundswell from the SSW on Wednesday (24 seconds!), but it’s breaking straight at this reef, so it won’t be the classic shape. Thursday the 24th brings a more consistent 5 ft from the ENE with a 12-second period – that’s the best of the first week, but still marginal.

Second week picks up strong. From Friday the 25th through to Wednesday the 31st, we get a solid run of bigger, more powerful swells. The combined energy climbs into the four-digit range (741 to 2444). The swell height builds from 2 ft to 8 ft, with the biggest and best being on Tuesday the 29th afternoon and Wednesday the 30th morning. On Tuesday the 29th afternoon, we’ve got 8 ft from the ENE with a 14-second period – that’s expert territory, and the energy is a massive 2444. Wednesday the 30th morning is 7 ft from the ENE at 13 seconds, still strong. The wind stays cross-off from the ENE, which is clean but not glassy. For genuine experts, that window from Tuesday the 29th afternoon to Thursday the 31st morning is the true standout. The sets will be long and powerful, but it’s a reef, so you’ll need to know your line.

After that, it drops off hard. Friday the 1st and Saturday the 2nd of August are back to poor conditions with tiny wind swell.

Overall, the best bet is the late July window – from the 29th to the 31st – for the big, clean, powerful groundswell. It’s not for beginners, but if you’ve got the skills, that’s the time to go. Crowds are possible, but with that size, it’ll thin out the pack.

Rusty.

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