Sandy Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, grab a seat. Rusty here, and I’ve gotta be straight with you – we’ve got a long, frustrating run ahead at Sandy Beach. The next stretch is a tough one for paddle surfing, and honestly, it’s a bit gutting to look at.

The overall pattern for the next 16 days is dominated by a persistent, strong cross-shore wind from the ENE. It doesn’t let up. For a spot like Sandy Beach, which is wide open to the east, that means the surf is going to be a mess of lumpy, choppy lines for the foreseeable future. The best way to describe it? It’s a kite surfer’s dream, not a paddle surfer’s. The swell energy is pumping through in the moderate-to-strong range (718 on Wednesday the 8th, for example), but it’s completely wasted by the conditions.

From Wednesday the 8th of July right through to Thursday the 17th, it's poor. The swell hangs in around the 5ft to 7ft range with a short period of 6 to 8 seconds, coming from the ENE. The wind is a non-stop cross or cross-onshore breeze (19 to 25 mph), turning every wave into a lumpy, cross-chop nightmare. There is simply no stand-out session in this block. The water is about average temp for the time of year for this break, but you won't care because you’ll be getting sandblasted.

After that, from the 18th into the 20th, we start to see a shift in swell source. The height drops down to about 2ft to 3ft, but the direction swings to the south with a much longer period (14 to 17 seconds). That’s a long period groundswell on the menu, which at a spot like Sandy Beach – a beach and reef setup exposed to the east – means the waves will likely break too straight. It’s not ideal. The wind is still a cross-shore fresh breeze (19 mph), so it’s still lumpy.

The only blip of potential comes on Wednesday the 22nd of July morning. It's a rain shower day with a moderate breeze from the east at 12 mph and swell from the east at about 3ft with a period of 14 seconds. The energy is there (577), and that wind is the lightest we’ve seen. Still a cross-onshore and choppy look, but it’s the closest we get to something rideable. It's a long shot, but it’s the best of a bad bunch.

Looking at the whole 16 days, there are no standouts. This is a near-complete blank run for good, clean surf. The entire first week is a write-off. The second week offers a change in swell but still no clean windows. When you have a persistent wind like this on an exposed beach, it’s not unusual for the area to go quiet. The forecasts can change, but as it stands, invest in a kite or take a holiday.

Rusty.

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