Sanur Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming up in the Sanur region.

Honestly, this outlook is a tough one. The first surfable option pops up on Friday, 31 July, but it’s only just scraping in. The swell is there, but the wind is a curse. We’ve got a persistent cross-onshore breeze that’s going to mess with the surface for the vast majority of the 16-day window. The water temperature is sitting at 81°, which is about normal for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The first real chance to get wet is at Sanur Reef on Friday morning. The swell is 4 ft from the SSW with a long 17-second period – proper groundswell energy. The combined energy of all swells directed here is moderate to strong (1295). But the wind is a gentle cross-onshore, leaving it fairly choppy. It’s an inconsistent, advanced reef break, so it’s not for the faint-hearted. Crowds are sometimes an issue here. The quality is marginal at best, so don’t expect perfection.

Saturday, 1 August, sees the swell bumping up to 5 ft in the morning and 5 ft in the afternoon, still from the SSW, with a very long 18-second period in the arvo. The combined energy jumps to strong (1612). The wind eases slightly but stays cross-onshore, so you’re still dealing with a bumpy surface. The same goes for Sunday, 2 August, with the swell hitting 6 ft in the morning and 7 ft in the afternoon – now that’s getting into the size that’s too big for beginners. The combined energy is very strong (2218) by the afternoon, but the wind is still a gentle cross-onshore, so it’s not clean. This is a reef, so those long periods mean the waves will be lined up, but the cross-onshore chop will make it a battle.

The best of the lot, if you can call it that, looks like Saturday, 1 August and Sunday, 2 August. The swell is solid, the period is long, and the energy is strong. The wind is still a problem, but it’s gentle, so the chop is at least manageable. It’s a standout by default, not by brilliance. For the advanced surfer, those mornings might offer a few memorable ones between the bumps.

From Monday, 3 August, right through to the end of the outlook, it’s more of the same story: solid SSW swell, but the cross-onshore wind never really lets up. The swell gets particularly big around 9 August, hitting 10 ft, but that’s only for experts, and the wind is still onshore. The water is always choppy or lumpy. The combined energy peaks at an extreme 5569 on the 9th, but the conditions are poor. There’s a small window on Thursday, 6 August, where the wind goes straight onshore, but it’s still a moderate breeze, so don’t get your hopes up.

The only real standout in the whole 16-day window is Saturday, 1 August. The swell is 5 ft to 5 ft, from the SSW (which matches the optimum direction for this reef), with a long period, and the wind is the lightest cross-onshore we see. It’s the cleanest the lineup will be, and that’s not saying much. If you’re an advanced surfer and you’re desperate, that’s the session to aim for. Otherwise, this stretch is a write-off for paddle surfing. The consistent cross-onshore wind and persistent chop means the setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Stay patient, and keep an eye on the forecasts – things can change, but right now, it’s a tough run.

Rusty.

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