Rat Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the cards for our local stretch.

Well, to be honest, it’s a slow start. We’re looking at a pretty flat spell kicking things off. The first few days are a write-off with next to nothing in the water. We’re talking about a gap of several days where you’d be better off doing literally anything else. The swell is tiny, the energy is weak, and the conditions are just poor. It’s a bit of a bummer.

Things start to get a whisper of life around Wednesday, July 15. The morning shows a bit of swell from the SW, but it’s still pretty ordinary. The combined energy is only moderate (139), and the wave height is a meek 1 ft. The offshore wind, a light breeze from the SSW, is the only real saving grace, keeping things clean. It’s barely surfable, but it’s something.

Thursday, July 16 is more of the same vibe. The morning sees a decent offshore wind from the SE blowing at 12 mph, cleaning up that same small 1 ft SW swell. The energy is moderate (135). It’s not going to get your heart racing, but it’s the cleanest the waves will be all week.

The pattern finally starts to shift a little around Saturday, July 18. The morning brings a slightly better 2 ft swell from the SW, with a moderate energy reading of 202. The wind is light from the S, keeping it clean. It’s still not big, but it’s the best we’ve seen. The period is a solid 18 seconds, so it’s a proper groundswell, which will give the waves some shape.

Sunday, July 19 is a bit of a tease. The swell bumps up to 2 ft from the SW with solid energy (240), but the wind swings onshore from the W by the afternoon, blowing at 9 mph and making a mess of it. The morning is a cross-shore, so it’s not great.

Looking further out, the first real standout of the entire forecast lands on Friday, July 24. The morning brings a 3 ft swell from the W, with moderate energy (110). The wind is light from the S, keeping it clean. It’s the biggest swell we’ve seen in the forecast, and the clean conditions make it the best bet for a paddle. Then Saturday, July 25 morning nearly matches it, with a 3 ft swell from the W and energy at 155, with a clean cross-off breeze from the SSE.

So, for the best surf on offer, aim for Saturday, July 18 morning, or if you can wait, Friday, July 24 and Saturday, July 25 mornings are the true standouts. The swell is still small, but the winds are favorable, and the energy is there. Rat Beach is a reef break that’s inconsistent, so you’ll have to be patient, but a little SW groundswell with clean conditions should offer up some fun, small waves for the beginners. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

Stay patient, keep an eye on the charts, and I’ll catch you in the water.

- Rusty

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