Sawtell-The Island Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here breaking down the next 16 days for Sawtell – The Island. We’re starting slow, but there’s a window of clean groundswell if you’re willing to wait.

The first real surf comes Saturday morning, July 11th. The Island has a clean 4 ft SE swell with a 10-second period, and the wind is glassy out of the NW at 3 mph. The water temp is about average for this time of year. The combined energy is moderate at 483, and the conditions are glassy. It’s a fun size for advanced surfers, and the swell direction is right on the money from the SE. Crowds can show up sometimes, but it’s worth it for the clean lines.

Sunday morning, the 12th, the swell drops to 3 ft from the ESE, still with a 10-second period. The wind is light WNW at 6 mph, keeping it clean. The energy is lower at 262, but it’s still surfable. By Sunday afternoon, the swell fades to 3 ft, and the wind shifts to a light SSW cross-off. It’s clean but ordinary.

Monday morning, the 13th, you’re looking at a tiny 2 ft ESE swell, period just 8 seconds, and glassy conditions. The energy is weak at 63. It’s surfable but very ordinary. After that, there’s a gap of several days with no real recommendations. Tuesday through to Wednesday afternoon, the 15th, sees poor conditions with onshore winds and building swell that’s too short-period and messy.

The next standout arrives on Thursday, the 16th, but it’s not for the faint-hearted. The swell jumps to 7 ft from the SE with a short 8-second period, and the wind is a fresh SSE cross-shore at 19 mph. The combined energy is moderate at 573, but the wind and chop make it a kite-surfing setup rather than a clean paddle session. This pattern continues into Friday, the 17th, with 8 ft SE swell and a 10-second period, but the wind is a moderate S cross-off at 16 mph. The energy is strong at 1183, and it’s clean, but this size (over 8 ft) is for experts only. The short period means the waves will be steep and punchy.

Saturday, the 18th, drops to 5 ft from the ESE, still with a moderate breeze, and the energy is moderate at 568. It’s marginal but surfable for the experienced.

The best clean window comes on Sunday, the 19th. The swell holds at 6 ft from the ESE, 8-second period, but the wind is light SSW at 3 mph, keeping it cross-off and clean. The combined energy is moderate at 494. It’s not the biggest, but it’s well-shaped for The Island, and the crowds might be manageable. The morning and afternoon both look good, so that’s your day to score.

Monday, the 20th, drops to 5 ft from the E, 9-second period, but the wind goes cross with a light NNW breeze, making it marginal. The energy is moderate at 425. Tuesday, the 21st, sees a similar 5 ft E swell with a longer 11-second period, and the wind is a moderate SSW cross-off, keeping it clean. The energy is moderate at 856. This is a good option for the experienced crew.

After that, the swell fades. Wednesday, the 22nd, has 4 ft E swell, 9-second period, with a light SW cross-off. The energy is moderate at 391, and it’s clean. Thursday, the 23rd, drops to 3 ft from the E, 9-second period, with glassy WSW wind at 3 mph. The energy is moderate at 224, but it’s small. Friday, the 24th, sees 2 ft E swell, 8-second period, with a light SSW cross-off. The energy is weak at 161. The weekend from the 25th and 26th shows tiny swell around 3 ft to 3 ft, with clean cross-off winds but very ordinary conditions.

In short, the best window is Sunday the 19th for clean, solid waves, followed by Tuesday the 21st for a bit more size and longer period. The early part of the week is the pick, but keep an eye on the wind – it can make or break it.

Rusty.

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