Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what we’ve got for this stretch of coast.

Honestly, looking at the whole 16-day window for Reef, it’s a tough one. There’s a big dry spell right from the start. The first week is dominated by weak, short-period swell (mostly around 2ft to 3ft) with periods between 5 and 10 seconds, so you’re looking at gutless, unorganised lines. On top of that, the wind is a persistent cross or cross-onshore breeze, mostly from the NNW or N, blowing between 9 and 19 mph, which keeps the surface choppy and lumpy. The combined swell energy stays well under 200 for most of the first week, often below 100, so it’s weak (86 to 241). The boys at the desk are giving it a big fat zero for quality every session.

The first real hint of a change comes on Sunday, August 18th. The morning shows a tiny 0.3ft swell from the SW with a 16-second period, but the wind finally swings offshore from the SSE, a light 9 mph. The comment is "clean," which is the first positive sign we’ve seen. The combined energy is still pitifully low at 17, but that offshore wind will groom what little there is into a glassy surface. It wouldn’t be a proper session, more of a paddle and a hope.

For the rest of the second week, we’re stuck in the same rut. The swell remains tiny, under 1ft, with periods mostly from the SSW or SW. The wind stays messy, often from the SW or N, with speeds cranking up to 28 mph by the last few days. The combined swell energy dribbles along in the teens and twenties, occasionally touching the 50s, which is just not enough to push a decent wave. Even the longer-period groundswells (14 to 18 seconds) are too small to be useful on this exposed reef, especially with the chop.

There isn’t a single standout session in the entire 16-day forecast. If you’re desperate, the cleanest water will be the morning of Sunday, August 18th, but it’s an anomaly. Everything else is a write-off. The water temp is around 68°, which is about normal for the time of year.

It’s a blank run for this area. I’d suggest keeping the board in the car and the wax in the wrapper for a while. Forecasts can change, but as it stands, there’s nothing to get excited about.

Rusty.

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