Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at the surf ahead.

Honestly, I gotta be straight with you – the outlook for the next 16 days is a tough one. We’re looking at a long stretch of real small, weak, and messy conditions. The first recommendation here doesn’t come until Tuesday afternoon, July 28th, and even then, it’s less about surfing and more about staring at the ocean. The whole first week and a half is a grind.

It all kicks off on Tuesday, July 28th, at the Reef. The swell is a feeble 0.7ft from the WNW, with a short period of 8 seconds. The energy is flat (10), and the wind is a cross-on from the NNW at 12 mph. The water temp is 69°, which is pretty normal for the time of year. It’s a write-off. Wednesday the 29th and Thursday the 30th are more of the same – tiny, weak, and choppy. The wind stays cross-shore or cross-on, and the swell barely nudges up to 1ft.

Friday the 31st through the weekend is a bit of a tease. You get a spike in the swell on Friday morning to 3ft from the NNW, but the period is a shocking 5 seconds – that’s windswell junk. The wind is still a moderate cross-shore, keeping it lumpy. The combined energy reads 57, which is still weak. Saturday and Sunday are similar, with the swell staying under 3ft and the energy in the 70-100 range, but the wind just won’t let up.

The best chance for a surfable wave in this entire stretch appears around Tuesday, August 4th, and Wednesday, August 5th. On Tuesday morning, we get 3ft from the WNW with a 9-second period, and the energy climbs to 111 (moderate). The wind is a gentle cross-shore from the NNW at 9 mph, which is the cleanest we’ve seen. It’s still not pumping, but it’s the closest thing to a window we’ll get. Wednesday afternoon sees the swell hit 3ft from the NW, period at 8 seconds, and energy at 170 – that’s moderate wave energy. The problem is the wind turns cross-on, making it choppy again.

After that, it drops back into the doldrums. The 7th and 8th of August are small and weak, and the 9th is a total write-off with a fresh cross-shore breeze at 19 mph. There’s a glimmer of hope on Monday, August 10th, and Tuesday, August 11th, with light offshore or cross-off winds creating some clean conditions, but the swell is only 1.0ft to 2ft, so it’s barely a ripple.

The very end of the outlook, on Wednesday, August 12th, sees a bump to 3ft from the WNW with a 9-second period and energy reading 137. The wind is light cross-shore in the morning, so it’s clean, but it’s still a pretty small day for a break that needs a bit more push.

Overall, there’s no standout session here. The only real “best on offer” is the morning of August 4th, where you get a bit of size and the cleanest wind all period. Tuesday, August 11th, also has a decent window with glassy conditions. But for a spot that’s exposed to the SW, the swell direction is never quite aligned properly. It’s a frustrating forecast, but that’s the game sometimes.

Rusty.

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