Rhino Head Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then, let’s have a look at what’s coming down the line for Rhino Head. This is a sheltered reef break that’s fairly consistent and works best on a south-west swell. It’s a beginner-friendly spot, but we’ll need to keep an eye on the wind.

The forecast kicks off now, but the first few days are a bit of a write-off. Friday the 31st of July and Saturday the 1st of August serve up some small, weak swell – around 2ft to 5ft from the south-west. The wind is cross-off, but it’s a bit of a mixed bag with only light to moderate breezes. The wave energy is modest (332), and the conditions are just ordinary. Don’t bother paddling out just yet.

Then we hit a real flat spot. From Sunday the 2nd of August right through to Monday the 10th, the surf is either poor or marginal. The wind gets strong, swinging around from the north-west and even west, with gusts up to 25 mph. The swell does bump up a bit, hitting 6ft on Monday the 3rd, but the wind is all wrong. There’s a promising window on Tuesday the 4th, with a glassy morning and a calm afternoon, but the swell is only 3ft to 4ft, and the energy is low (550). It’s just not enough to get excited about.

Now, the first real standout comes up on Wednesday the 12th of August. The swell picks up to 10ft from the south-west, with a period of 11 seconds. The wind turns offshore from the west-north-west, and it’s a moderate offshore breeze. The water will be a bit colder than average for this time of year, but it’s clean. The wave energy is strong (2023), and it’s described as excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers. This is a bigger swell, over 8ft, so it’s for the experts. That’s the one to circle.

The next big one is on Saturday the 15th of August. We’re looking at a solid 12ft south-west swell, with a long period of 17 seconds. The wind is cross-off from the north-north-west, and the wave energy is very strong (7477). This is a serious groundswell. Because it’s a long-period swell, it might break a bit straight at some beach breaks, but Rhino Head is a reef, so it should handle it well. This is a big-wave day for the experienced crew, but it’s still a week and a half out, so keep an eye on the forecast.

Overall, the best bet is Wednesday the 12th of August – that offshore wind and solid 10ft swell at Rhino Head is the pick of the bunch. The Saturday the 15th is the other big one, but it’s further out and a bit less certain. The rest of the period is full of dodgy wind and poor conditions, so don’t expect much else.

Rusty.

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