
Surf Forecasts:
Saltwater surf forecast from 27 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 30 Jul, 1PM (local time) - 7.5ft (2.3m), 11s period, S swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 30 Jul, 1PM (local time) - 7.5ft (2.3m), 11s period, S swell with 1,246 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 30 Jul, 4AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 6s period with SSW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Saltwater this week:
The surf forecast for Saltwater over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Thursday (Jul 30) at 4AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.2m and 6s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 6s. Another secondary swell of 0.1m and 13s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Saltwater in the next 16 days are 2.3m 11s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Jul 30) at 1PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.9m 4s period and expected on Thursday (Jul 30) at 1AM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 4AM (Thu 30th Jul) | 4ft (1.2m) 6s |
| Best Surf | 1PM (Thu 30th Jul) | 7.5ft (2.3m) 11s |
| Most Powerful | 1PM (Thu 30th Jul) | 7.5ft (2.3m) 11s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Saltwater over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s break it down.
We’re starting off a bit slow, but there’s a real pulse coming through. The first window of decent surf shows up on Monday, July 27th, at Saltwater (point). It’s a morning glass-off with a clean 4ft south swell, period around 9 seconds, and the combined swell energy is a moderate 300. The water is sitting at 67°, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year – nothing weird there. That morning session is the pick of the first few days, with light WSW wind and glassy conditions. It’s a good one for the beginners too, as the size is easygoing. The afternoon gets a bit lumpy with a cross-on breeze, so score the morning.
Tuesday drops off hard – tiny, weak surf, not worth paddling out for. Wednesday is even smaller, with a weird 16-second period swell that barely registers any energy. That’s a no-go. Thursday, July 30th, is where it starts to fire. Both morning and afternoon have clean, cross-off winds, and solid 5ft to 6ft south swell, with periods around 10 to 12 seconds. The combined energy jumps to 693 and 646 – that’s moderate to strong energy, and it’s going to feel punchy. Friday, July 31st, keeps the run going: morning offshore wind, 6ft south swell, 11-second period, 683 energy. That’s a standout morning. Clean, lined up, and good for a ripping session.
Saturday, August 1st, is still decent in the morning with offshore wind and 5ft swell, but the energy drops to 377. Sunday and Monday fade out, with weaker swell and onshore winds building. The surf gets small and messy through August 2nd and 3rd.
Then we get a little lull, but mid-week picks up again. Wednesday, August 5th, is a bit of a sneaky one: 4ft to 5ft south swell, but the period is short – only 7 seconds – so it’ll be a bit crumbly, but the offshore wind will keep it clean. The energy is moderate (250-309). Thursday, August 6th, morning is the real standout of this second push: 5ft south swell, 9-second period, and a gentle offshore breeze. The combined energy is 735 – strong, solid power. That’s a morning to get excited about.
Now, the big one. Friday, August 7th, morning: 7ft SE swell, 12-second period, light cross-off wind, and the energy is 1098 – that’s strong. This is a serious swell, but it’s still in the expert-friendly range. The afternoon gets a bit mixed with a stronger cross-off wind, but the morning is prime. Then Saturday, August 8th, is the biggest of the whole run: 10ft SSE swell, 11-second period, and energy readings of 1810 and 2012 – that’s very strong wave energy. This is for experienced surfers only. The morning has offshore wind, the afternoon is cross-off. Both are clean, but at this size, it’s a handful.
Sunday, August 9th, morning is glassy with 7ft SE swell, 10-second period, and 952 energy – still a big day, but the afternoon gets a cross-on wind that messes it up. Monday, August 10th, is back to smaller, clean conditions in the morning with 4ft and glassy wind, but the energy is down to 240. After that, the swell drops off and the wind picks up hard through August 11th, with nothing worth chasing.
Overall, the standout sessions are Thursday, July 30th morning and Friday, August 7th morning. The 30th is a cleaner, more manageable size with that long-period south swell and glassy conditions. The 7th is bigger, heavier, and for the crew who can handle it. Crowds are possible at Saltwater, especially on the good days, so get in early.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 19°C on Tue morning, min 9°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 16°C on Sat morning, min 11°C on Thu morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 27 | Tuesday 28 | Wednesday 29 | Thursday 30 | Friday 31 | Saturday 1 | Sunday 2 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 9 | S 9 | S 8 | S 8 | S 8 | S 9 | NE 6 | SSE 16 | NE 6 | S 12 | S 10 | SSE 12 | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SE 10 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
295 | 198 | 147 | 46 | 30 | 24 | 18 | 26 | 9 | 687 | 635 | 379 | 676 | 639 | 552 | 369 | 321 | 293 | 275 | 263 | 270 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross | cross | on | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross | cross | cross-on | on | cross |
High Tide | 6:57PM1.52m | 7:25AM1.01m | 7:35PM1.58m | 8:03AM1.06m | 8:10PM1.62m | 8:40AM1.11m | 8:43PM1.64m | 9:16AM1.15m | 9:16PM1.62m | 9:53AM1.20m | 9:50PM1.57m | 10:31AM1.24m | 10:25PM1.50m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 12:13PM0.37m | 1:43AM0.28m | 12:56PM0.32m | 2:18AM0.22m | 1:36PM0.29m | 2:51AM0.17m | 2:14PM0.27m | 3:23AM0.13m | 2:52PM0.27m | 3:53AM0.10m | 3:31PM0.30m | 4:25AM0.10m | 4:12PM0.33m | ||||||||
6:41 | — | — | 6:41 | — | — | 6:41 | — | — | 6:39 | — | — | 6:39 | — | — | 6:39 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | |
— | 5:08 | — | — | 5:09 | — | — | 5:10 | — | — | 5:10 | — | — | 5:12 | — | — | 5:13 | — | — | 5:13 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 |
Temp °C | 16 | 16 | 14 | 19 | 18 | 15 | 19 | 19 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 18 | 17 | 15 |
Feels °C | 15 | 15 | 13 | 17 | 15 | 13 | 16 | 13 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 13 | 13 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 9 | S 9 | S 8 | S 8 | S 8 | S 9 | NE 6 | ENE 6 | NE 6 | S 12 | ENE 7 | S 9 | S 11 | ENE 7 | S 10 | S 10 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SE 10 |
295 | 198 | 147 | 46 | 30 | 24 | 18 | 15 | 9 | 687 | 5 | 311 | 676 | 5 | 552 | 369 | 321 | 293 | 275 | 263 | 270 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 12 | E 12 | SE 15 | SE 8 | SE 7 | NE 4 | SSW 5 | SSW 6 | S 14 | ENE 6 | E 13 | SSE 12 | ENE 6 | E 13 | ENE 8 | ENE 7 | NE 7 | NE 7 | ENE 8 | E 17 | ENE 7 |
3 | 3 | 9 | 30 | 13 | 4 | 4 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 379 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 5 | 5 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 7 | NE 8 | NE 8 | E 8 | SE 15 | SE 7 | S 9 | SSE 16 | S 9 | E 12 | E 13 | ENE 6 | E 13 | E 11 | E 13 | E 12 | E 12 | E 18 | E 17 | S 12 | E 16 |
2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 7 | 13 | 26 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 11 | 5 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | NE 3 | — | — | SW 5 | SW 4 | — | S 10 | — | — | S 11 | — | — | — | — | — | ENE 3 | NNE 4 |
— | — | — | — | 3 | — | — | 35 | 29 | — | 635 | — | — | 639 | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 9 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 56 | 22 | 22 | 56 | 39 | 48 | 39 | 34 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 22 | 37 | 72 | 22 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Port Macquarie | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Saltwater Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Saltwater provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Saltwater can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Saltwater surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Saltwater) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).
Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Saltwater may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.
Saltwater is 15 km (9 miles) from Taree. If you plan a holiday in Port Macquarie, look for hotels and other accommodation in Taree. Taree has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.










