Sandtracks Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, Rusty here. Let's be straight with you – this outlook for Sandtracks is a tough one. It's a reef break that's fairly consistent, but don't let that fool you; the conditions across this whole 16-day stretch look pretty grim for a proper paddle session. You're not going to find any standout days for traditional surfing in this window. The water temp is sitting at 80°, which is about average for this time of year, so at least you won't be freezing while you're scratching your head.

We kick off on Thursday, the 2nd of July. There's a 5ft swell from the ENE, with a short, weak period of 8 seconds. The combined wave energy is moderate (703), but that 19 mph cross-shore wind is going to wreck it with a lumpy chop. The report calls it poor surf, and I'm not arguing. Friday the 3rd sees the swell drop right off to 2ft, but the period jumps to 17 seconds, giving a long-period groundswell from the SSW. Energy is moderate (511), but the cross-shore wind is still howling at 19 mph, making it a marginal, messy affair at best.

Saturday the 4th and Sunday the 5th are more of the same: small, long-period SSW swells (2ft to 3ft, periods of 18 to 21 seconds) being trashed by fresh to strong cross-shore winds (19-22 mph). The energy climbs to moderate-high levels (up to 943), but with that wind noise and the long period likely making things fat and straight on a reef setup, it's a write-off. Monday the 6th through Tuesday the 8th follow the same pattern – poor surf with fresh cross-shore winds, occasional 6ft ENE windswell popping up on the 7th and 8th, but with a period of only 7-8 seconds and that same fresh wind, it's a choppy, blown-out mess.

From Wednesday the 9th through to the end of the period on Friday the 17th, there's no improvement. The swell stays in the 2ft to 5ft range, nearly always with that cross-shore ENE wind at 16 to 22 mph. The energy levels drop from moderate to weak (287 to 584). There are a few moments of marginal surf on the 11th and 13th, but honestly, with that constant wind and cross-chop, the setup here looks far more interesting for kite surfing than anything on a paddleboard.

Look, there are no good surf options in this 16-day window for Sandtracks. Sometimes you get a blank run like this, especially in this area. Forecasts can change, so don't lose all hope, but as it stands, my advice is to leave the board in the car and maybe take a walk on the beach. This reef is not going to give you anything worth paddling out for.

Rusty.

Read more