Sawtell-The Island Surf Break

Lat Long: 30.37° S 153.11° E

Issued: 3 pm 04 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Sawtell-The Island sea temperature is
19.9° C

Slightly cooler than normal

Sawtell-The Island surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Sawtell-The Island surf forecast from 4 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Sunday 5 Jul, 10PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 8s period, SSE swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Tuesday 7 Jul, 10PM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 12s period, SSE swell with 4,095 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 5 Jul, 1AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 10s period with SSE swell.

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Sawtell-The Island this week:

The surf forecast for Sawtell-The Island over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Sunday (Jul 05) at 1AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 8s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Sawtell-The Island in the next 16 days are 4.0m 12s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Jul 07) at 10PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.0m 4s period and expected on Saturday (Jul 11) at 4AM.

Wave TypeTime (AEST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 1AM (Sun 5th Jul)2.5ft (0.7m) 10s
Best Surf10PM (Sun 5th Jul)10ft (3.0m) 8s
Most Powerful10PM (Tue 7th Jul)13ft (4.0m) 12s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Sawtell-The Island over the next 16 days.


Updates in  hr  min  s Forecast update imminent

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming up for Sawtell-The Island over the next couple of weeks. It’s a bit of a mixed bag, with some solid size early on, but also a fair few sessions where the conditions are questionable – tide, wind, and sheer power will be the deciding factors.

The water temperature is sitting at 67.8°, which is about average for this time of year, so nothing freaky there.

We’ve got a decent stretch of surf on the way, but the first real standout? That’s a tricky one. The opening session on Saturday afternoon, 4th July, is pretty lacklustre – a cross-shore breeze and a weak 3.9ft southerly swell with an 8-second period, giving a combined wave energy of just 379. It’s surfable, but nothing to write home about.

Sunday the 5th kicks off small and clean in the morning, with a 2.0ft SSE swell and 9-second period, but the energy is low (115), so it’s more of a longboard glide. The afternoon brings a bump up to 6.2ft SSE swell at 12 seconds – that’s better period, and the combined energy jumps to 1060. The wind is cross-offshore from the SSW, so it’ll be clean. That’s a solid session for the keen ones.

Monday the 6th sees the swell push up to 8.2ft from the SSE with a 9-second period. The combined energy is 1121 in the morning, and the wind is cross-off, so it’s clean. But at 8.2ft, we’re getting into expert-only territory – this is not a beginner’s wave. The wind picks up to 30 km/h (18.6 mph) in the afternoon, making it even more gnarly. The energy climbs to 1383 – it’s proper grunty.

Tuesday the 7th is a beast. The swell hits 11.5ft with an 11-second period from the SSE. The combined energy is 4252 in the morning and 2599 in the afternoon. The wind is cross-off, so it’s clean, but the file says the swell is too big for this break. This is for serious chargers only, and even then, it’s a mission. Same story for Wednesday morning the 8th – 11.5ft SSE swell, 11-second period, energy at 4862. That’s massive. The afternoon drops to 7.2ft SE swell with 11-second period – still big, but the energy is 2509. The wind stays cross-off, so the shape might hold, but it’s still heavy.

Thursday the 9th brings a 7.9ft SSE swell at 10 seconds, energy around 2023 in the morning. The wind is cross-off, but the conditions are marked as marginal. Not the cleanest.

Now for the standout. Friday morning the 10th July is where it’s at. The swell drops to a more manageable 5.2ft from the SE with a 10-second period, combined energy of 620. The wind is cross-off from the SSW, and the file says to expect very good surf conditions. The swell direction (SE) matches the optimum for the break, and the crowd factor is only “sometimes”, so you might get a few waves to yourself. This is the best session of the first week – clean, decent size, and good energy.

Saturday the 11th has a glassy 4.9ft SE swell at 10 seconds in the morning – energy 433 – and the wind is a glassy light northwesterly. That’s a beautiful clean morning, but the swell is a little smaller.

Sunday the 12th holds up well: a 4.3ft ESE swell with 11-second period in the morning, energy 441, and a clean cross-off breeze. The afternoon goes glassy again with a 3.6ft SE swell at 10 seconds – very clean, but small. Good for a log.

After that, we hit a lull. From Monday the 13th onwards, the swell drops right off – 2.0ft, then 1.3ft, then 2.0ft ENE junk. The energy drops to 70 and below. That stretch runs through to the 15th, with tiny, weak surf. There’s a gap of several days with nothing worthwhile.

Wednesday the 15th afternoon sees a slight uptick – 6.6ft S swell at 8 seconds, energy 527 – but the wind is cross-off and the conditions are marginal. Not great.

Thursday the 16th has 7.2ft SSE swell at 9 seconds, energy around 898, but the wind gets strong – 35 km/h (21.7 mph) from the south in the afternoon. It’s messy.

The second week’s real highlight? Look to Sunday morning the 19th July. A nice 3.6ft ESE swell with a very long 13-second period, combined energy of 842. The wind is a light offshore from the WSW – glassy. The period is long, which means more energy and better shaped waves

Short Range Forecast

Moderate rain (total 14mm), heaviest on Sun afternoon. Very mild (max 17°C on Sun afternoon, min 12°C on Sat night). Winds increasing (light winds from the S on Sat afternoon, fresh winds from the S by Tue morning).

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Moderate rain (total 10mm), heaviest on Tue afternoon. Very mild (max 17°C on Fri morning, min 12°C on Thu night). Mainly fresh winds.

Sat
4
Sunday
5
Monday
6
Tuesday
7
Wednesday
8
Thursday
9
Friday
10
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
Rating
(10 max)
1
1
0
2
!
2
2
3
!
!
!
!
3
4
3
3
3
3
2
3
2
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.2
S
8
0.7
SSE
10
0.6
SSE
9
1.9
SSE
12
3
SSE
14
2.5
SSE
9
2.5
SSE
10
2.5
SE
10
3.5
SSE
11
3.5
SE
11
3.5
SSE
12
3.5
SSE
11
2.2
SE
11
2.3
SE
11
2.4
SSE
10
2.4
SSE
10
1.8
SE
10
1.6
SE
10
1.6
SE
10
1.8
SE
11
1.5
SE
10
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
187
106
66
1002
3209
1084
1288
1363
2619
2599
3644
2867
1110
1420
1170
1080
566
469
499
703
425
Wind (km/h)
10
SSE
15
SW
15
SSW
25
SSW
25
S
25
S
30
S
20
SSW
25
SSW
30
S
20
SSW
20
SSW
20
SSW
15
SW
20
SSW
15
SSW
15
SW
15
SSW
10
SSE
10
WSW
5
NW
Wind State
cross
off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross
off
glassy
High Tide
10:54PM1.49m
11:38AM1.05m
11:33PM1.42m
12:28PM1.10m
00:17AM1.33m
1:23PM1.16m
1:10AM1.23m
2:22PM1.25m
2:13AM1.13m
3:24PM1.36m
3:24AM1.06m
4:26PM1.48m
4:38AM1.02m
Low Tide
4:25PM0.31m
5:39AM0.17m
5:11PM0.36m
6:16AM0.16m
6:05PM0.42m
6:58AM0.16m
7:10PM0.46m
7:44AM0.17m
8:27PM0.46m
8:37AM0.18m
9:49PM0.41m
9:34AM0.17m
11:05PM0.31m
10:34AM0.15m
clear
clear
cloud
rain showers
light rain
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
clear
part cloud
clear
rain showers
rain showers
clear
rain showers
rain showers
part cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:43
6:43
6:43
6:43
6:43
6:43
6:43
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
4:58
4:59
4:59
5:00
5:00
5:00
5:00
5:01
 mm
1
4
1
2
4
2
2
4
1
2
1
2
1
Temp °C
15
13
15
17
15
15
16
15
17
16
15
15
15
14
16
16
13
17
16
13
17
Feels °C
13
10
11
12
10
9
10
11
11
10
11
12
11
10
12
13
10
14
14
11
15
Swell 1
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.9
SSE
8
0.7
SSE
10
0.6
SSE
9
0.4
E
8
0.1
E
16
0.3
E
14
0.3
E
14
0.3
E
13
2.5
SE
10
3
SE
11
3
SE
11
1.6
ESE
12
2.3
SE
11
2.1
SE
10
2.1
SE
10
1.8
SE
10
1.6
SE
10
1.6
SE
10
1.8
SE
11
1.5
SE
10
Energy kJ
112
106
66
20
5
37
35
32
1600
2401
1995
730
1246
842
809
566
469
499
703
425
Swell 2
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.5
E
8
0.5
E
8
0.4
E
8
0.3
E
13
0.2
E
16
0.3
SSW
16
0.3
ESE
13
1.5
ESE
12
1.3
ESE
11
0.1
S
23
0.1
S
22
0.1
SE
17
0.6
SE
15
0.8
SE
13
0.1
S
20
Energy kJ
31
28
19
29
19
51
33
669
403
11
10
12
143
208
8
Swell 3
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.4
ESE
12
0.4
ESE
11
0.3
SSE
12
0.2
E
10
0.2
E
11
0.1
S
21
0.1
S
20
0.1
E
12
Energy kJ
49
41
30
9
9
9
8
3
Wind waves
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.2
S
8
0.6
S
6
0.8
S
4
1.9
SSE
12
3
SSE
14
2.5
SSE
9
2.5
SSE
10
2.5
SE
10
3.5
SSE
11
3.5
SE
11
3.5
SSE
12
3.5
SSE
11
2.2
SE
11
2.5
SSE
10
2.4
SSE
10
2.4
SSE
10
0.8
SSW
4
Energy kJ
187
22
24
1002
3209
1084
1288
1363
2619
2599
3644
2867
1110
1420
1170
1080
16
Nearest Offshore or Glassy
Rating
(10 max)
2
1
1
4
5
3
2
4
6
5
7
2
4
5
4
3
3
3
3
3
2
Distance (km)
2
0
2
75
75
108
249
30
30
75
30
23
2
2
2
16
0
0
2
0
0
Best forecast wave conditions in Port Macquarie
Rating
(10 max)
3
2
4
4
5
4
6
5
7
6
4
5
4
3
3
3
4
3
3
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia
Rating
(10 max)
5
4
3
9
6
4
4
4
6
5
7
6
5
5
4
4
5
5
4
4
3
Header Global
Rating
(10 max)
5
5
5
9
6
5
6
8
7
5
5
9
8
9
9
5
7
5
4
8
4
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  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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Information about the Sawtell-The Island Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for Sawtell-The Island provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Sawtell-The Island can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Sawtell-The Island surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Sawtell-The Island) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).

Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Sawtell-The Island may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.

Are you planning a holiday in Port Macquarie? If you are looking for accommodation near Sawtell-The Island, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Port Macquarie, consider staying in Coffs Harbour which is 9 km (6 miles) away. Alternatively, find information about places to stay and car hire in South Grafton which is 62 km (39 miles) away

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