Rest Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you – this is a tough one for the next 16 days. We’ve got a long, slow stretch ahead with very little to get excited about. The first real chance of anything surfable doesn’t show up until the end of the period, so we’re talking about a gap of nearly two weeks of flat, tiny waves. Don’t get your hopes up for a quick fix.

Right now, and for the vast majority of the outlook, Rest Bay is seeing barely a ripple. We’re talking 0.3 ft to 0.7 ft swell from the SW for days on end. The wind is mostly offshore or clean, which is a tease, but with zero energy in the water (combined energy values are mostly in the single digits or low teens – weak as can be), it’s a flat spell. The water temp is a whopping 67°F, which is *much warmer than normal* for this time of year, so at least the water’s nice if you want a swim, but that’s about it.

We’ll drift through Tuesday the 14th through to Saturday the 25th with nothing but ankle-biters. The wind will flick around between offshore, glassy, and cross-off, but it’s just polishing a turd. There’s a tiny pulse on the 24th and 25th with swell heights creeping up to 1.0-1 ft from the WSW (combined energy 27-35), but the wind is mostly onshore or cross-onshore, making it choppy and messy. Not worth paddling out for.

Now, here’s the one glimmer of hope. On Sunday, July 26th, we see a pulse of swell from the W at 4 ft, with a period of 7 seconds. The combined energy jumps to 255 (moderate) in the morning. But keep your expectations in check – the wind is cross-off in the morning, which is clean, but the afternoon switches to a cross-shore breeze. The wave comment says “poor surf conditions,” so this is still not a classic. It’s the biggest swell of the whole run, but it’s short-period and the wind isn’t perfect.

The only session that might be worth a look is Monday, July 27th. The morning has a clean 2 ft from the WSW with a gentle offshore breeze from the ENE (combined energy 78 – weak). Then the afternoon goes glassy with a 3 ft WSW swell and a period of 9 seconds, pushing the combined energy up to 169 (moderate). The wave comment finally says “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions.” It’s not a standout, but it’s the best we’re going to get. For a beginner, the 3 ft is fine, but it's not a classic.

After that, Tuesday the 28th and Wednesday the 29th drop back into the doldrums with onshore winds and tiny, weak swells.

So, the honest truth: there are no real standouts in this 16-day window. The only session that remotely qualifies is the Monday afternoon, July 27th at Rest Bay (Rest Bay). The swell is 3 ft from the WSW, with glassy conditions. It’s surfable, but don’t expect a gem. The crowds can be often, so you might have company. For the rest of the time, the water is flat and warm, but the surf is a no-go. This is one of those stretches where the forecast can change, but right now, it’s a whole lot of nothing.

Rusty.

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