Red Strand (Dirk Bay) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – this is a tough stretch. We’re looking at a long, quiet period with barely a ripple. The first record I’ve got for Red Strand (Dirk Bay) is for Wednesday the 8th of July, and honestly, it’s not even worth paddling out for. That sets the tone for a pretty grim run.

From the 8th right through until around the 14th of July, we’re stuck with tiny, weak swells – we’re talking 0.3ft to 0.7ft. The energy is pathetic, barely cracking double digits (9 to 34). The swell direction is all over the shop, coming from the S, WSW, and SSW, but it doesn’t matter because there’s just no height to work with. The wind is a bit of a mixed bag, but it won’t save you from the fact there’s nothing to ride.

The water temperature at the start of this was sitting at 59°, which is pretty normal for this time of year, so at least you won’t be freezing while you’re sitting there staring at a flat ocean.

Now, there’s a slight flicker of hope around the 14th of July. The combined energy bumps up to 126 on Tuesday morning, with a 1ft SSW swell pushing in from a long groundswell of 18 seconds. That’s a very long period, which means those waves are going to be fat and straight, but it’s a reef break (Red Strand (Dirk Bay)), so it might wrap in and give you a few lined-up ones. The wind is a cross-offshore from the ENE at 30 km/h, which will keep the surface clean. It’s still small, but it’s the best we’ve got in the whole window. For a beginner spot, this is about as good as it gets for this period, but don’t expect any barrels.

The rest of the second week? More of the same story. Tiny swells, weak energy, and mostly cross-shore winds. The swell stays in the 0.3ft to 0.7ft range, and the energy drops back to pathetic levels (7 to 40). The 18th of July morning sees a gentle offshore from the NNW at 15 km/h, but the swell is a measly 0.7ft from the SSW with a 13-second period. It’s clean, but you’d be lucky to get a ride.

The end of the window, from the 20th onward, actually gets worse. The wind cranks up to 45 km/h from the WSW on the 20th, and with a tiny 0.3ft swell, it’s a total write-off. The energy is weak, and the wind is just going to make it a mess.

So, the standout? It’s the 14th of July morning. That’s your only real chance at a surfable wave, even if it’s small. The rest of the 16 days is a flat spell. For a place like this, a blank run like this isn’t that unusual, but forecasts can change. Keep your eye on it, but don’t hold your breath.

Rusty.

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