Publics Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what Publics is doing for the next couple of weeks.

Alright, the first thing you gotta know is that the start of this run is a bit of a grind. We are looking at a lot of windy, choppy days with the swell being blown out by a strong breeze. The combined swell energy is moderate (583) on Thursday morning, but it's not doing us any favours.

Thursday morning the 30th of July, we've got a 5ft swell from the ENE, but it's on a short 8-second period, which means it's going to be a bit of a bumpy, sectiony mess. The wind is a cross-off at 16 mph, which isn't the worst, but it's not glassy. The water temp is about average for this time of year.

Friday the 31st is a write-off. The wind picks up to 22-25 mph, and the swell jumps to 6ft-6ft. It's too big for beginners and the conditions are just poor. The combined energy is strong (885-1062), but it's all windswell, and it's gonna be a battle. Saturday the 1st and Sunday the 2nd of August are no better - 8ft of messy, short-period ENE windswell with 22-28 mph winds. The energy is very strong (1307), but it's just a washing machine. If you're a kitesurfer, this is your window; for a paddle surfer, it's a hard pass.

Monday the 3rd of August settles a little but is still marginal. Tuesday the 4th of August gets a little interesting. The wind drops to a gentle breeze of 9 mph, and we get a long-period 11-second swell. The swell is 5ft from the ENE, which is a better shape. The combined energy is moderate (614). This is the best of a so-so bunch. The waves will have more push and line up better, but the crowd factor at Publics is always, so you'll have company.

From Wednesday the 5th through the 10th of August, it's a mixed bag of mostly poor, marginal, or weak surf. The swell drops off, the wind stays up, and there's just nothing to get excited about. There's a suggestion of longer period SSW groundswell on the 10th and 11th, but the energy is weak (126-517) and the wind is onshore or cross-shore, so it won't be clean.

The one standout, and I mean the only one worth circling on your calendar, is the morning of Wednesday the 12th of August. We get a clean 2ft SSW groundswell with a 13-second period, and the wind is a light cross-off at 9 mph. The combined energy is weak (262), but it's a long-period groundswell that will wrap in and offer some fun, glassy lines. The water temp is about average for the time of year. It's a small wave, but it will be the cleanest, most user-friendly wave of the entire run. For a spot that's rarely good, this is a real treat.

The final few days, the 13th and 14th of August, look like the wind is back up and the surf is marginal again.

So, to be honest, the 16-day window is mostly a bust. If you're a patient soul, the 12th of August is your day. The rest of the time, the lake is blown out, and the wind is the main event. Forecasts can change though, so keep an eye on it.

Rusty.

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