Royal Palms State Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, Rusty here. Look, I've scanned the charts for the next couple of weeks, and I gotta be straight with you – it's a tough stretch for Royal Palms State Beach. We're looking at a long, dry spell with next to nothing worth paddling out for. The swell is tiny, the wind is mostly junk, and it's gonna be a real test of patience.

We kick off on Wednesday, July 15th, with a pathetic 1ft south-west swell. The period is long, over 18 seconds, but it's just not got any grunt with the combined energy only reading 153. The water is a surprisingly warm 70°, a whopping 5° warmer than usual for this time of year, which is very unusual. But that's the only highlight. The wind is a cross-onshore breeze, messy and small, so it's a complete write-off. This same story basically repeats itself day after day. Thursday, Friday, the weekend – the swell stays tiny, the wind is consistently cross or cross-onshore, and the conditions are labelled "poor." It's a grim run.

We get a tiny bump on Saturday, July 18th, with the swell climbing to 2ft, but the cross-shore wind chops it up. The energy is still weak, sitting around 247. There's a moment on Sunday, July 19th, when the wind turns onshore, which is arguably worse.

The first real flicker of hope doesn't come until Thursday, July 23rd, in the afternoon. The swell is still a meek 3ft from the south, but the wind goes glassy. The combined energy creeps up to 337, and the wave comment finally says "surfable waves but very ordinary conditions." It's not good, but it's not a complete disaster. The period drops to 13 seconds, so it's a bit more manageable.

Then, on Friday, July 24th, the morning shows a 3ft south swell with a combined energy of 698, which is the most we've seen. But the wind is a light cross-onshore, and the forecast is "marginal." The afternoon sees the wind howling at 16 mph from the west, tearing it all to pieces.

But get this – the standout of the entire forecast is Saturday, July 25th, in the morning. The swell drops back to 2ft from the south-south-west, but the period is a massive 21 seconds, a real groundswell. The wind is dead calm, glassy as a mirror. The combined energy hits 749, and the forecast says "expect good surf conditions." For a spot that's been a dud for two weeks, this is a true gem. It's only a 2ft wave, but with that long period and clean conditions, it'll be smooth and lined up. Keep in mind, with a period this long, it might break a bit straight on the beach, but for a reef and point setup like Royal Palms, it could be offering up some nice, clean lines. It's a beginner-friendly break, so this is the one to circle on your calendar. Just be aware it's an inconsistent spot, so when it's on, it's a treat.

After that, we go back into the doldrums. Sunday, July 26th, through to the end of the month, it's back to small, weak swell and poor wind. The energy readings drop off to the 500s and 400s, and it's all "poor" or "marginal."

So, to sum it up: there's a 10-day gap of terrible surf, then one golden morning on Saturday, July 25th, with glassy conditions and a long-period groundswell. That's your window. The rest is a write-off. Hang in there.

Rusty.

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