Panoramas Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s break it down. We’ve got a stretch ahead that’s mostly on the small side, but there are a few windows where it’ll be worth paddling out.

The overall pattern is pretty ordinary for the first week and a half. We’re looking at a lot of small, weak swell – around 2ft to 3ft – with a period of only 7 to 8 seconds, so it’s mostly short-period, local windswell. The energy is low, with combined swell energy readings mostly below 100 (weak) and only occasionally climbing into the low 100s (moderate). The wind is a real issue too, with a lot of cross-onshore slop messing up the face. The first real standout doesn’t come until Saturday, 29th July.

Let’s start with the early part. Saturday, 18th July, morning session at Panoramas is glassy and clean, with a tiny 2ft NW swell. It’s surfable but very ordinary – the energy is just 59 (weak). The water temp is sitting at 71°, which is about 2° warmer than usual for this time of year, so it’s a bit on the warm side, but nothing crazy. The afternoon goes cross-on and the quality drops out.

The next few days are a real grind. From Saturday afternoon straight through to the following Friday, 24th July, the conditions are mostly poor. The wind is nearly always cross-on or cross-shore, and the swell stays small – 3ft to 4ft. The energy does bump up to 159 (moderate) on Sunday afternoon, 19th July, but the wind is cross-on, so it’s messy. There’s a long gap of poor surf here, with only a few glassy mornings on Wednesday 22nd, Thursday 23rd, and Friday 24th, but the swell is still just 3ft and weak. It’s frustrating.

Saturday, 25th July, starts the same way – glassy in the morning with a 3ft NW swell, but the energy is still weak at 95. The afternoon goes choppy again. This pattern holds through to Tuesday, 28th July, with the afternoon wind always ruining it.

Now, the good stuff. The standout is on Saturday, 29th July. The morning session at Panoramas is your best bet. We’ve got a 4ft NW swell, with the period stretching to 9 seconds – that’s a bit more push and a better shape. The combined energy jumps to 211 (moderate), so there’s some real juice. The wind is glassy, off the water, making for clean, crisp lines. This is the pick of the 16-day window. The water is still warm, and it’s a consistent break, so you’ll get waves. Just be aware, crowds are sometimes a thing here. The afternoon goes cross-on, so get it while it’s good.

Sunday, 30th July, morning is also glassy with a similar 4ft NW swell, energy at 197 (moderate). It’s another good session, but not quite as good as the Saturday. Then Friday, 31st July, morning has a clean cross-off wind with a 4ft NW swell, energy at 149 (moderate). That’s another solid option.

The last few days into early August fade back to small, weak swell with poor wind. The 6ft NNW swell on Friday afternoon, 31st July, is a big spike in energy at 574 (strong), but the wind is a moderate cross-shore, making it choppy and poor quality. That’s more of a kite-surfing setup than a paddle session.

So, bottom line: the first week is mostly a write-off, but hang in there. The morning of Saturday, 29th July, is the one to circle. Glassy, waist-high-plus NW swell, with decent energy. It’s not a massive day, but it’s the cleanest, most surfable window we’ve got.

Rusty.

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