La Torche Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then, Rusty here. Let's have a proper look at what's cookin' down at La Torche for the next couple of weeks.

First off, I gotta be straight with you – it's a grim start. The water's sitting at a very unusual 70°F, which is about 6°F warmer than it should be for this time of year, which feels proper weird for July. But don't get too excited, because the surf for the next week and a half is basically non-existent. From Sunday the 19th right through to the 26th of July, the swell is tiny, barely cracking 2ft, and even though we've got some lovely offshore and glassy conditions, there's just no energy in the water (combined energy barely hitting 60). It's a long, frustrating blank run.

Now, things finally start looking up around the 27th of July. You'll see some size come in, but Monday the 27th is a write-off with strong onshore winds smashing that 5ft to 6ft swell. It's messy and blown out.

The real gem in this whole forecast comes on the morning of Tuesday the 28th of July. Alright, listen up – this is your window. We've got a solid 8ft groundswell rolling in from the WNW with a period of 10 seconds. That's a lot of power, with strong combined wave energy of 1210. Now, at that size, this is strictly for the experienced crew – it's gonna be fat and powerful, closing out on the beach unless you know what you're doing. The wind is light and cross-shore from the NNW, so it'll be clean enough, but with that much water moving around, expect it to be a bit lumpy. It's pushing the limit, but it's the only chance for a proper big-wave session.

For anyone after something a bit more manageable, keep your eye on the morning of Wednesday the 29th of July. The swell drops to a more manageable 6ft from the NW (8-second period, moderate energy at 502), but the wind goes dead glassy from the east. It's forecast to be "very good surf conditions" and I can see why – that clean, glassy surface on a solid 6ft wave is a dream. Shorter period means it might be a bit crumbly, but for a morning paddle with no wind, it’s leagues better than anything else on offer.

After that, it fades away again. The last couple of days of July and into August are back to weak, onshore slop. Don't bother.

So, to wrap it up: the best swell is easily the 8ft on Tuesday the 28th, but it's big and only for experts in the know. The standout for cleaner, more user-friendly waves is the glassy 6ft morning on Wednesday the 29th. Get on it, because that's it for this stretch.

Rusty.

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