Sandtracks Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get stuck into it. Look, I’m not gonna lie to you – it’s a pretty grim stretch ahead for Sandtracks. This is a reef break that needs a lot to line up, and for the first week and a half, the wind is just relentless. We’re looking at a long, frustrating gap with no real surf on offer.

The first few days, from Tuesday the 21st through to the end of July, are a write-off. The wind is hammering in from the east and east-northeast, pumping at 15 to 22 mph, all cross-shore. The water’s sitting at a normal 80°F for this time of year, but the surface is just a lumpy, cross-chop mess. Swell is there, but it’s weak and poorly directed – the combined energy is in the hundreds (484–1493), which is moderate, but the wind kills it stone dead. The scores are zeroes and ones. You’d be better off cleaning your wax.

The wind doesn’t let up, and the swell changes direction. The first hint of something different comes on Wednesday the 29th. The morning still has a cross-shore wind, but by the afternoon, a light 9 mph breeze from the northeast swings it to a cross-offshore. That’s the first clean window we’ve seen. The swell is 6 ft from the east-northeast, with a period of 12 seconds. It’s groundswell, and the combined energy is strong (1055). It’s a solid, expert-level wave – over 5 ft and pushing it. The reef at Sandtracks will handle that direction, but it’s not for beginners. That Wednesday afternoon is the only true standout in the whole 16-day window. It’s short-lived, though.

Thursday the 30th is a letdown. The wind turns onshore from the south-southeast, light, but it’s onshore, and the swell drops to 4 ft with a shorter 10-second period. Not worth it.

Then we’re back into the abyss. From Friday the 31st all the way through Monday the 5th of August, it’s a dead zone. The wind is back to 15-22 mph cross-shore, or cross-onshore, and the swell is either too small (2 ft), or when it does pop up to 5 ft, the period is a terrible 8 seconds – windswell junk. The combined energy stays moderate (292–851), but the conditions are all described as poor. The only glimmer is Tuesday the 5th of August, where the wind drops to a light 6 mph, but it’s cross-onshore, and the swell is a meagre 3 ft. It’s still a marginal call.

Honestly, if you’re a surfer, you’re looking at one solid afternoon on the 29th of July and a whole lot of nothing else. The rest of the time, with that strong cross-shore wind and a beach-and-reef setup, this is more of a kite surfer’s playground than a paddler’s. Stick to the Wednesday afternoon session, and don’t hold your breath for the rest.

Rusty

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