Rainbow Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming down the line for Rainbow Bay.

It’s a bit of a slow start, but we’ve got a solid run of surf building later. The first few days are all about small, clean conditions, but don’t get too excited just yet. The water temp is sitting at 69°, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year, so no nasty surprises when you get in.

Tuesday 28 July: The morning is your best bet early on. We’ve got a small 3ft SSE swell, with a light offshore wind keeping it clean. The energy is weak (140), so it’s just a little knee-high dribbler for the longboard or foiling. Afternoon gets a bit messy with a cross-shore breeze, so don’t bother.

Wednesday 29 July: Morning is glassy, but the swell has dropped to a tiny 2ft. It’s a flat spell, really. The combined energy is next to nothing (65). A day for the coffee shop, not the water.

Thursday 30 July: A bit of a tease. Morning is clean with a moderate offshore, but the swell is still only 2ft. Afternoon sees a jump to 5ft SSE, but the wind is up and cross-offshore, making it a bit of a mess. The energy is moderate (259), but the quality isn’t there.

Friday 31 July: Morning is the pick of the early week. 4ft S swell with a gentle offshore breeze. The period is a solid 10 seconds, so there’s some shape to it. Energy is moderate (305). It’s surfable, but very ordinary. Afternoon gets blown out by a 16 mph wind.

Saturday 1 August: This is where things start to look up. The morning brings a clean 5ft SSE swell, with a moderate offshore wind. The energy is building (469). This is the first real standout of the forecast. The waves will have some punch, but it’s still manageable for most intermediate surfers.

Sunday 2 August: Interesting morning. We’ve got a 3ft SE swell, but look at that period – 16 seconds! That’s a very long period groundswell. The energy is strong (651). This size and direction will work well at Rainbow Bay, but that long period means it might wall up a bit on the sandbank. It’s a clean morning with a cross-offshore breeze, so it’s worth a look. The afternoon gets a bit cross-shore.

Monday 3 August to Tuesday 4 August: The swell drops back a bit, but conditions remain good. Monday morning is glassy with a 3ft SE swell (13 seconds), and the energy is solid (473). It’s clean. Tuesday gets a bit of a fresh offshore wind, which will be clean but the swell is mixed.

Wednesday 5 August to Thursday 6 August: The swell is building again. Wednesday afternoon sees a 7ft S swell with a moderate offshore. This is starting to get a bit punchy, and the energy is strong (634). This is a good wave for experienced surfers. Thursday morning pushes to 8ft SSE, with a very strong energy reading (933). The wind is offshore, but this size is getting into expert-only territory, especially with the period still around 9-10 seconds.

Friday 7 August to Saturday 8 August: The swell stays solid, around 7ft to 7ft, with clean offshore winds. Friday is a bit rain-showery, but the waves are there. Saturday morning is a standout: 7ft ESE swell, clean offshore wind, and strong energy (923). This is the best of the second week on offer.

Sunday 9 August to Tuesday 11 August: The swell holds in the 6ft to 7ft range, with a nice long period of 10 to 11 seconds. The winds are light and mostly offshore or glassy. This is a long run of clean, solid surf. Tuesday morning especially looks like a gem with a glassy 6ft E swell (11 seconds) and very strong energy (897). The sets will be long and clean.

Wednesday 12 August: The last day of the forecast keeps the run going. 6ft E swell with an 11-second period, and a light offshore breeze. It’s a clean, consistent finish.

Overall, the best bet is Saturday 1 August morning for the first real clean fun, and then the run from Saturday 8 August through Tuesday 11 August looks like the main event. The swell direction is mostly SE to E, which is perfect for Rainbow Bay. Crowds are often here, so get there early.

Keep an eye on the longer period swells around the 2nd and 11th – they’ll be clean but might break a bit straight on the bank.

Rusty.

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