Pennington Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s talk about Pennington Bay for the next couple of weeks.

The overall picture is a bit of a mixed bag. We’ve got a solid run of South swell rolling in, but the wind is going to be the main factor – it’s clean and offshore on a few days, but there’s a lot of cross and onshore wind to deal with. The first week has some real promise, but the second week gets a bit lumpy and messy in parts.

Right off the bat, Thursday the 9th of July is the clear standout. The morning is a beauty – clear skies, a gentle 9 mph offshore breeze from the North, and a clean 4 ft swell from the South with a long 15-second period. The energy is moderate (756), but the conditions are sweet. The afternoon holds up nicely too, with a 3 ft South swell, 18-second period, and the same light offshore wind. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so nothing unusual. This is the pick of the whole forecast – glassy, clean, and fun. The break is a fairly consistent sandbar, and it’s fairly exposed to the South swell, so it’s handling what’s on offer. Crowds are often here, so expect some company.

Friday the 10th of July is still surfable but a step down. We’ve got a 5 ft SSW swell in the morning and 4 ft in the afternoon, both with a 15-second period, but the wind swings to a moderate cross-off, making it a bit tricky. The quality is marginal, and the energy is moderate (849 and 648). It’s still clean, but not as clean as Thursday.

Now, things go south. Saturday the 11th of July is a write-off – 25 mph cross-on wind, lumpy, messy, and the swell is a poor 8 ft in the afternoon. Sunday the 12th of July is a weird one – the wind is cross, and the swell is massive (15 ft in the morning, 10 ft in the afternoon) with very strong energy (11138 in the morning). That’s too big for most, and the wind is cross, so it’s only for the brave, and even then, it’s not clean. Monday the 13th and Tuesday the 14th of July are both cross-on, choppy, and lumpy with swell over 8 ft – really only for the experienced, and the wind is making it ugly.

A glimmer of hope pops up on Wednesday the 15th of July. The morning is glassy – a 3 mph SSE wind, light air, and a 8 ft South swell with a 15-second period. The energy is strong (2374), and the conditions are perfect for experienced surfers. The wind is dead calm, so it’s clean. The afternoon is a bit rougher with a cross-on wind, but the morning is a solid session for the crew who know what they’re doing.

Thursday the 16th of July is still rideable but marginal – 5 ft South swell, 14-second period, and a light cross wind. Clean enough, but not special.

Friday the 17th of July is another good day. The swell is a consistent 5 ft from the South, 15-second period, and the wind is a light cross-off from the East. The energy is moderate (1052 and 1055), and conditions are clean. Not a standout like Thursday, but a solid session.

After that, the weekend of the 18th and 19th of July is pretty average. Saturday the 18th has a moderate cross-off with 5 ft swell, but it’s marginal. Sunday the 19th is a total mess – 28 mph onshore wind, poor surf, and tiny 2 ft swell. Don’t bother.

The final week, from Monday the 20th to Thursday the 23rd of July, is mostly messy. There’s a period on Wednesday the 22nd of July with a clean cross-off wind and 6 ft SSW swell, but the energy is moderate (796) and it’s not a standout. The 23rd of July has a massive 12 ft South swell, but the wind is onshore or light cross-on, and it’s just too big for the break. That one is only for the experts, and even then, it’s not ideal.

So, to wrap it up: the best on offer is Thursday the 9th of July – that’s your day. Perfect offshore wind, clean South swell, and long period. Wednesday the 15th of July morning is a close second for the experienced crew. The rest of the window is a mix of average, messy, or just too big. Plan around those two.

Rusty.

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