Raffs Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, grab a coffee, let's have a look at what's coming our way for Raffs Beach over the next couple of weeks. It's a bit of a mixed bag, to be honest, but there are a few windows that will be worth paddling out for.

The forecast starts off with a beast of a SW groundswell hitting this Saturday morning (July 4th), showing a solid 10 ft at 13 seconds from the SW. The wave energy is massive at 4846 (moderate to strong), but the wind is a cross-shore and there's just too much water moving for this beginner-friendly spot. It's a no-go for Saturday and Sunday as the swell stays above 8 ft with onshore and cross-onshore winds. You'd be mad to paddle out.

The first real standout comes on Monday morning, July 6th. The swell has dropped to a more manageable 5 ft from the SW, with a nice long 14-second period. The wind is light offshore from the north, so the surf is clean. This is the pick of the first week; it's a solid groundswell with plenty of energy (1142) and the offshore wind will have the waves holding up. It's still a bit sizeable, so more suited to experienced surfers, but it's the best we've got for a few days.

Tuesday July 7th is another one to circle. The morning is looking glassy, with the wind dropping to nearly nothing (5 km/h from the NW) and a clean 3 ft SW swell at 17 seconds. The energy is still moderate (808) and the conditions are described as very good. That's a small but long-period wave that will be a joy on the right bank.

After that, the forecast gets a bit ordinary for the middle of the week. The swell hangs around 5 ft to 6 ft but the wind turns onshore or cross-onshore, making things choppy. Nothing to get excited about until Friday July 10th, when a light offshore returns. That morning sees a 4 ft SW swell at 15 seconds with clean conditions. It's not huge, but the wave quality will be good.

We hit another big gap after that. The wind gets fresh and strong from the north, dropping the swell right down. The surf looks small and blown out through the weekend of the 11th and 12th.

Hold onto your board, because Monday July 13th brings a solid spike of energy. The swell jumps to 13 ft from the SW at 14 seconds, with an enormous 6308 in wave energy. The wind is cross-offshore though, so the conditions are clean. But here's the thing – that's way too big for Raffs Beach. This is only for experts, and even then, it's a handful. The same goes for Tuesday July 14th, with a 13 ft swell and even more energy (10386). This is kite-surfing territory for most.

The swell finally backs down by Thursday July 16th. That morning serves up a 4 ft SW swell with a very long 17-second period, light cross-offshore wind, and clean conditions. Wave energy is still moderate at 1797. It's described as excellent for experienced surfers. That's your second standout for the fortnight.

The very end of the forecast, Saturday July 18th, starts small with a glassy 3 ft, but the afternoon looks better: 4 ft swell at 17 seconds, light variable wind, and excellent conditions again. Sunday morning July 19th also offers a light offshore breeze with a 4 ft SW swell. Good clean fun to finish off.

Alright, water temps are about average for this time of year, nothing to worry about. Crowds at Raffs can be a bit of a thing sometimes, so don't expect to have it to yourself.

So, in short: Monday July 6th morning is the first real winner. Thursday July 16th morning is the other standout – best of the second week. Get in the water on those days.

Rusty.

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