Saaga Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then, let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for the coming weeks.

To be straight with you, the outlook is a bit of a tough one. We’re looking at a long, frustrating run of messy conditions and not much to get excited about. The first real shot of anything half-decent doesn’t come until late in the game, but even then it’s a gamble.

For the first three weeks, from the 19th of July right through to the end of the month, it’s one thing after another. Onshore and cross-shore winds are relentless, whipping up a lumpy, choppy mess. The combined swell energy is often strong, with values between 864 and 3336, but it’s all noise and no quality. The swell direction fights with what the break wants, and the period swings from a short 8 seconds up to a long 20 seconds. That 20-second groundswell would be a dream at a reef or point, but the wind just ruins it. It’s a write-off for a paddle surfer. Honestly, a few of those bigger, wind-affected days with that much energy might be more interesting for a kite surfer.

The first week of August brings a slight change, but it’s still marginal. The morning of the 2nd of August sees a smaller, 1.4m easterly swell with a gentle cross-shore breeze. The combined energy drops to 853. It’s not clean by any stretch, but it’s the least offensive option in this whole run. The next morning, the 3rd of August, a 1.7m easterly swell pops up, but the wind swings back to a moderate cross-onshore, making it choppy again.

So, if I had to point to a standout – and I mean this very loosely – it would be Saaga (reef) on the afternoon of the 2nd of August. The swell is 1.6m from the east, with the wind easing to a gentle cross-shore. It’s a marginal call, but with the period around 9 seconds, it’s the closest we get to a window of opportunity in this whole 16-day forecast. The water temperature is about 27.5°, which is bang on average for this time of year.

It’s a bleak run. Hang in there.

Read more