Sandtracks Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming down the line for the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I gotta be honest with you – the start of this outlook is a bit of a slow burner. The first few days are pretty average, with cross-shore winds and lumpy conditions not doing us any favours. But hold on, because there’s a window of proper, clean swell shaping up for Tuesday the 28th of July that’s got my attention. That’s our standout. The rest of the run, especially into the second week, looks like a write-off with strong, messy winds and poor surf.

Let’s break it down. The first real bit of surf we see is on Sunday the 26th. Sandtracks is showing a 3 ft SSW swell with a very long 16-second period. The energy is high, reading 1033 in the water, but the wind is a fresh 19 mph cross-shore from the ENE. That’s going to leave it lumpy and cross-chop. Not the day to get excited. Monday the 27th isn’t much better – swell bumps up to 4 ft from the E, but it’s still cross-shore and messy. You’re better off waiting.

Now, Tuesday morning the 28th of July – this is the one. Sandtracks gets a clean 6 ft swell from the east. The period is a solid 12 seconds, so there’s some proper groundswell energy running. The wind is a light 9 mph cross-offshore from the NE. That’s the good stuff. The wave energy is huge at 1276, meaning there’s plenty of push. This is a reef break, so that long-period east swell will wrap in nicely and line up. It’s a bit hefty for beginners at 6 ft, but for the intermediates, this is going to be clean and fun. The water temp is sitting at 80°, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year, so a spring suit or just boardies will do.

The afternoon of the 28th sees the swell kick up to 7 ft, and the wind swings a touch more north, but it’s still cross-offshore. The energy jumps to 1545, which is serious. At that size, we’re looking at expert territory at Sandtracks. It’s an exposed reef, so it’ll be powerful, and with that size, only the experienced crew should be out there. Crowds are often a thing here, but on a Tuesday, you might get a bit more room.

After that, it’s a downhill slide. Wednesday the 29th sees onshore winds ruin the fun, and the swell drops off. From Thursday the 30th all the way through to the 10th of August, it’s a constant stream of strong cross-shore winds, mostly from the ENE at 19-25 mph, with lumpy, choppy, and messy conditions. The swell stays around 5 ft to 8 ft, but with those winds and periods dropping to 8 seconds, it’s just a washing machine. The energy is moderate to strong, but with that wind, it’s a no-go for a paddle board. Honestly, with that much wind and that size, the setup at Sandtracks looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

There’s a long gap of poor conditions from the 30th of July right through the first week of August. The second week is a write-off, with no decent windows. The 8th of August sees a brief 2 ft-3 ft SSW swell with a long 16-second period, but it’s still cross-shore and windy. Not worth the paddle.

So, to sum it up: your one and only standout is Tuesday morning, the 28th of July at Sandtracks. Get out there early for the clean cross-offshore wind and the solid 6 ft east swell. It’s a short window, but it’s the best we’ve got.

Rusty.

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