Sandy Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

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

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – this is a tough stretch. For the first ten days, basically from now through the 24th of July, the surf is just not cooperating. It’s a long, flat spell with nothing but poor conditions and choppy, lumpy cross-shore winds. You’re looking at a solid gap of about a week and a half with no real recommendations. The only real glimmer on the horizon starts to appear around the 24th of July, when things shift from "poor" to "marginal".

The best of a bad bunch – and honestly, the only thing even worth talking about as a stand-out – is Sandy Beach. This is a beach and reef setup, fairly consistent, but it’s exposed, and crowds are often around. The real potential kicks in around the 26th of July (Sunday) and into the 27th of July (Monday). We’re looking at a decent pulse of swell from the East, pushing 4 ft to 4 ft. The period stretches out to a very long 16 seconds. That’s proper groundswell energy, and when it hits a reef setup like this, it can mean some real shape. The combined energy is strong, hitting 1271 to 1359 – that’s what we want to see. The water temp is about 79°, which is normal for the time of year. The catch? The wind is still cross-shore, a fresh breeze from the ENE and NE, so it’s not going to be glassy. It’ll be lumpy, but with that much energy and that long period, the sets should have some push. Just be aware, with a period over 15 seconds, this kind of long groundswell can break a bit straight on a beach break, but Sandy Beach’s reef structure should handle it better than a pure sand bottom.

Before that, from the 24th of July (Friday) onward, you see a slight uptick to "marginal" with a score of 1 out of 10. The swell is still small, around 2 ft to 3 ft, but the period is a very long 18 seconds. The energy is moderate to strong (655 to 712). It’s an option for the die-hards, but it’s really just a warm-up for the main event on the 26th and 27th.

After the 27th, the swell drops back a bit but holds some energy through the 28th and 29th of July, with waves around 3 ft to 5 ft and periods of 11 to 13 seconds. The wind stays cross and fresh, so the quality is still "poor" on paper, but if you’re desperate, there’ll be waves to ride. The 29th of July afternoon shows a 5 ft swell from the ENE with 11 seconds – that could actually be a bit of size for an intermediate, but the onshore/cross component will make it a messy beast.

Bottom line: The first week and a half is a write-off. The best bet is Sandy Beach from the 26th of July for a few days. It’s not perfect, but it’s the only thing with real grunt on the horizon. Keep an eye on that long-period E swell.

Rusty.

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