Sawtell-The Island Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming up for Sawtell-The Island.

First up, the water’s sitting at 67°, which is a touch cooler than usual for this time of year, but nothing too wild. It’s a bit nippy, but you’ll be right in a spring suit.

Now, straight off the bat, there’s a bit of a gap. The first real surf we’ve got to talk about is Thursday morning, July 9th. The swell is a solid 7ft out of the SSE with a 10-second period, pushing a heap of energy (1874). That’s a lot of water moving. This is an advanced spot, so it’s for the experienced crew. The wind is a cross-off from the SW at 9 mph, which will keep things reasonably clean. But the notes say the tide might be a bit tricky, so don’t expect perfection. The afternoon stays similar with a touch more size at 8ft.

Friday, July 10th, the swell drops a notch to 6ft from the SE, still with a 10-second period. The energy is still moderate (838). The wind stays cross-off, and the notes say “very good surf conditions” – this is looking like a solid day for the advanced paddlers.

Saturday, July 11th, is where it gets interesting. The morning is a standout. We’ve got a 4ft swell from the SE, but the wind is dead calm, glassy, zero. The water will be like a mirror. The period is 9 seconds, so it’s a decent mix of power. The energy is moderate (501). This is a real gem for the experienced surfer – clean, lined-up waves. The afternoon gets a bit messy with a cross-on wind, so the morning session is the call.

Sunday, July 12th, is smaller again, 3ft from the ESE, but the morning wind is a clean cross-off from the W at 6 mph. The energy is dropping (262). It’s a fun, cruisy size for this spot, but not a headline day.

Then things go quiet. From Monday, July 13th, through to the morning of Thursday, July 16th, the swell drops right off – we’re talking 1.0ft to 2ft. It’s a flat spell for almost five days. Not worth paddling out for.

Now, hold on to your board. Thursday, July 16th, the swell jumps back to 10ft in the morning, and 12ft in the afternoon, both from the SSE. The energy is massive (1962 and 2172). The notes say the swell is just too big for this break. This is expert-only territory, and even then, it’s pushing the limits. The wind on the afternoon is a fresh cross-shore at 22 mph, making it lumpy. This is more of a spectacle than a session.

Friday, July 17th, is a no-go. The swell hits 16ft with a 12-second period and a massive energy reading of 11043. The wind is howling at 25 mph, cross-shore. It’s a washing machine. The same goes for Saturday, July 18th, with 12ft swell and strong winds. The notes say it’s “too big” for the break. For the experts only, and even then, it’s dangerous.

The following week, from Sunday, July 19th, the swell slowly drops back to the 3ft to 5ft range. The wind is generally cross-off and clean, but the energy is low. There are some surfable days, like Tuesday, July 21st, and Wednesday, July 22nd, with shoulder-high waves and clean winds, but nothing to write home about. The standout by far is that Saturday, July 11th, morning session. That’s the one to circle on the calendar.

Stay stoked,
Rusty

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