Right and Left Side Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, grab a seat mate. Rusty here. Let’s take a proper look at what’s on offer.

Straight up, the 16-day window gets off to a slow, slow start. For the first week and a half, it’s pretty much a write-off. We’re looking at a long, dry spell from now until about the 28th of July. There’s a few tiny pulses of swell but they’re all under 2ft, the period is short, and the combined energy is weak (between 8 and 47). The wind is messy, mostly cross or cross-off, and the surf is just poor. It’s a real flat spell for the area, so this blank run isn’t unusual, but it’s still a tough watch.

Then, things start to get interesting. The 28th of July Tuesday afternoon is where the game changes. We get a sudden jump to a 6ft swell from the west with a 10-second period. The combined energy hits 574 (moderate), and the wind is a light breeze out of the east, keeping it clean. This is the first real sign of life.

From there, it builds into a proper run. The standout window is the 29th of July Wednesday morning. The swell from the west holds at 4ft, the period is a nice 10 seconds, and the combined energy is strong at 596. But the best part? The wind is dead calm. Glassy. That’s a major positive. It’s going to be clean as a whistle. The break itself, Right and Left Side, is an exposed reef, so it’ll handle this west swell beautifully. It’s a spot that’s *inconsistent* and for *advanced* surfers only, so this is a rare treat. The water temperature is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The run continues into the 31st of July Friday afternoon. The swell shifts to the north-west, bumps up to 4ft, but the period gets long at 12 seconds. This is proper groundswell energy. The combined energy is 651 (strong). The wind is light and cross-off, so it’ll be clean. That long period will give it some real shape and power, but on a slabby reef like this, it’ll be for the experienced crew only.

Heading into the first week of August, the 1st and 2nd are worth noting but with a big caveat. The swell sticks around from the NW, with a very long period of 13 to 14 seconds and combined energy climbing to 988 (strong). The heights are 4ft to 5ft. The wind is light and cross, so it’s not offshore, but it’s not terrible. The direction is a good match for the break’s optimum north swell direction. However, the forecast notes marginal tide conditions, so you’ll need to pick your moment. The long period is a double-edged sword: it’ll bring beautiful, powerful lines, but it’s best for experienced surfers at a reef break.

The 29th of July Wednesday morning is the absolute best on offer. The 31st of July Friday afternoon is a close second. The rest of the first week of August is promising but less certain, so keep an eye on it.

Rusty.

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