Rhino Head Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, you mob, Rusty here. We've got a bit of a slow start, but the second week is looking like a real treat. Let's break it down.

First off, the water at Rhino Head is sitting at a normal 59°F for this time of year, so nothing weird there.

The first few days are a write-off. We've got a moderate cross-shore chop on Thursday morning the 23rd with a 6ft SSW swell, but it's a messy 1244 combined energy and the wind is all wrong. Thursday afternoon and Friday are a bit cleaner but the surf is marginal. Honestly, don't hold your breath until Saturday morning the 25th. Even then, it's a small 4ft SW swell (561 energy) with clean conditions, but it's only just surfable. Saturday afternoon drops off, and Sunday the 26th is small and ordinary. We then hit a proper gap from Monday the 27th through to Friday the 31st of July. The wind is howling, or it's onshore, and the conditions are just poor. The combined energy spikes up to 2558 on the 29th with a 7ft SSW swell, but with a fresh cross-shore wind and lumpy chop, it's a washout. Save your energy.

Now, here's where it gets good. The standout is Saturday, the 1st of August. We get a pulse of very long-period groundswell out of the SW. The morning is glassy with a tiny 2ft wave, but the energy is already building at 742. The real story is Saturday afternoon: glassy conditions, a 5ft SSW swell with a 19-second period, and a massive 1632 combined energy. This is a proper clean swell. For a reef break that's sheltered and fairly consistent, this is the pick of the window. The long period will make it powerful and clean, perfect for a beginner-friendly spot like Rhino Head. The crowds are "sometimes" here, so you might see a few others out, but it's worth it.

Sunday the 2nd keeps it going with a 4ft SW swell, 16-second period, and gentle offshore wind in the afternoon – another very good session. Then Monday the 3rd of August is the next big one. The morning has a 6ft SW swell (1717 energy) with a light offshore breeze, making for clean, punchy waves. It's still solid for the more experienced, but the quality is there.

After that, the run fades. Tuesday the 4th and Wednesday the 5th are a step down with marginal conditions. Thursday the 6th of August has a massive 8ft SSW swell (6034 energy) in the morning, but it's got a cross-shore ripple. The afternoon cleans right up with a 7ft SSW swell (3324 energy) and offshore wind, but that size is for experts only. By Friday the 7th, the wind is back up and it's all over.

So, to wrap it up: it's a slow start, but the first weekend of August is your window. The absolute best is Saturday the 1st of August afternoon, with Sunday the 3rd as a close second. Get on it.

Rusty.

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