North Stradbroke - Pt Lookout Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s check the surf coming our way over the next couple of weeks.

It starts big and wild on Monday 20 July – a solid 12 ft swell from the ESE, period 10 seconds, with a strong cross-off breeze. The combined energy is hammering at 2430, that’s proper strong stuff. But the wind is blowing 28 to 31 mph and the surf quality is poor. This one’s for big-wave chargers only, if anyone is mad enough.

Tuesday 21 July drops to a still-chunky 7 ft from the east, period 10 seconds, with a fresh cross-off breeze. Energy’s down to 897 – still moderate-to-strong. The surf’s listed as marginal due to tide or conditions. Not the best, but maybe a session for the keen. Wednesday 22 July morning stays marginal at 5 ft, but the afternoon glass-off on Wednesday is the real standout. Winds go glassy, light from the east at just 3 mph – that’s a major positive for clean conditions. Swell’s 5 ft from the east at 9 seconds, energy at 321 (moderate). This is the best of the whole run: North Stradbroke – Pt Lookout on Wednesday afternoon. The wind will be dead calm, the point should handle that east swell beautifully, and wave quality is expected to be good. Crowds can pop up here sometimes, so get in early.

Thursday 23 July goes smaller – 4 ft east swell (8 seconds) with a light offshore from the west in the morning – clean but weak, energy just 174. Afternoon turns cross-on and drops further. Friday 24 July is tiny – 3 ft with a moderate offshore, energy down to 90. Not worth the paddle.

From Friday 24 July afternoon through to Friday 31 July, there’s a long dry spell. Swell heights sit between 0.7 ft and 3 ft, periods short (mostly 6 to 8 seconds), and energy readings are in the double digits or low triple digits. The water temp is about average for the season, nothing unusual. You’re better off doing something else.

Then Friday 31 July sees a long-period groundswell from the SE – 14 to 15 seconds, but only 1 ft to 2 ft. Energy’s 146 to 200, so there’s some pulse, but it’s way too small to surf. Might be a sign of things to come.

Come Saturday 1 August, the swell bumps up again: 5 ft from the SSE with a fresh offshore from the south at 22 mph, period 9 seconds, energy at 525 (moderate). This could work for experienced surfers, but the wind is strong and the surf quality is marginal. Afternoon fades fast. After that, it’s small and messy through to Tuesday 4 August.

So the best call is Wednesday 22 July afternoon at Pt Lookout (North Stradbroke – Pt Lookout) – that glassy session with 5 ft east swell is your only real window. Saturday 1 August might be one for experts if the wind calms down. Otherwise, the next two weeks are mostly a waiting game.

Rusty

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