Roaches Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get real about Roaches Reef. Bottom line up front: this is a tough stretch. The entire 16-day window is littered with 'poor surf conditions' – zero scores above a 0, meaning nothing is really worth paddling out for. The swell runs tiny, the period is often short, and the energy is weak. There’s a long gap of essentially nothing rideable, with almost all days offering only ankle-to-knee-high slop. The one bright spot comes right at the very end, on the 24th of July.

For the first week or so, we’re stuck with a mix of micro-swells from the west and east, none of them cracking 3 ft, and the combined energy is pathetic – mostly between 10 and 45 (weak). The wind does offer some clean windows, like Friday afternoon the 10th with a light offshore from the NNW, and Saturday afternoon the 11th with a clean cross-offshore, but there’s just no push to the waves. A few mornings, like Thursday the 9th and Saturday the 18th, are glassy, but you’d be floating out there on 0.7 ft to 1 ft dribble.

Now, the standout. On Friday morning, the 24th of July, we finally see a pulse. The swell jumps to 4 ft from the west, with a period of 6 seconds – a short-period wind swell, but it’s the only real size in the whole forecast. The combined energy bumps up to 95 (moderate), which is the highest we’ll see. The wind is light from the WSW, almost glassy, with a slight cross-shore ripple. This is the best the window offers. The 4 ft is manageable for intermediates, but it’s not going to be epic. Roaches Reef is a reef break, fairly consistent, exposed to the swell, and it will take this west swell. The offshore direction is WSW, matching the optimum swell direction from the southwest. With the light wind, it could clean up nicely. But don’t expect barrels – that short period won’t give it much shape. There’s a chance of crowds, as it’s a known spot, but with the poor run leading up, it might be quiet.

The water temperature – well, we don’t have a specific anomaly number for this spot, but given the time of year, it’s nothing weird.

Between the 11th and the 24th, it’s a desert of tiny, weak, and often messy surf. The 24th is the only real light in the tunnel. After that, the forecast ends.

So, if you’re dead keen, pencil in the 24th of July for a sunrise session at Roaches Reef. Otherwise, save your wax.

Rusty.

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