Sands Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, Rusty here. Look, I've got to be straight with you – the next week and a half is a write-off for any decent surf. We're looking at a long, dusty gap until the 19th of July, with nothing but tiny, weak, and messy dribble. After that, things start to look interesting, but you've got to be patient.

Alright, let's get into it. The only break on the radar is Sands. It's an exposed, beginner-friendly spot that's inconsistent, so it needs a proper swell to wake up. The water temp is sitting at 72°, which is about average for the time of year.

From Sunday the 12th right through to Saturday the 19th of July, it's a total dud. The swell is tiny, mostly under 2ft, and the period is short and weak. The combined energy is pathetic, with values like 37 (weak energy). The wind is all over the shop, often cross or cross-on, creating choppy, poor surf. There's a few windows of offshore wind mid-week, but with no swell to work with, it's just a clean, flat lake. Don't bother.

The first real flicker of hope comes on Sunday the 19th of July. The morning sees a bump in swell to 7ft from the east, but the wind is cross-off and the conditions are marginal. The afternoon though, look out. The wind goes completely glassy, and the swell pushes to 7ft from the east with a combined energy of 515 (moderate wave energy). This is the first standout. For a beginner spot, 7ft is on the big side, but for a competent surfer, that glassy, clean easterly swell will be a total treat. It's a rare, perfect window.

Monday the 20th of July drops back a bit. The morning has 5ft from the east, but a strong cross-wind makes it choppy. The afternoon is smaller at 5ft, and still a bit messy. Not the best.

Then we go quiet again until the 25th of July. The Saturday morning brings a clean 5ft swell from the south with gentle offshore wind, and the combined energy is 273 (moderate wave energy). It's a solid, fun size for Sands.

But the real standout of the whole outlook is Sunday the 26th of July. The morning session is going to be something special. We're looking at a 7ft south swell (combined energy of 1057 – strong wave energy) with a 9-second period and a moderate offshore wind from the WSW. The water will be clean, the waves will have proper push. This is excellent surf for experienced surfers. At 7ft, it's too big for beginners, but if you know what you're doing, this is the day to circle on the calendar. The afternoon gets a bit too windy, so get out early.

So, to sum it up: don't even look at the beach until the 19th of July. The afternoon of the 19th is a solid, glassy option, and the morning of the 26th of July is the absolute best of the lot – a proper, powerful, clean south swell that will have Sands doing its thing.

Rusty.

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