Sawtell-The Island Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here, and I’ve had a good look at what’s coming for Sawtell – The Island (Sawtell). The setup is an exposed reef/point that loves a south-east swell, and we’ve got a decent run of waves through the next couple of weeks. The water is sitting at 68°, which is about normal for this time of year, so nothing weird going on with the temp.

The first session worth getting excited about is Friday morning, July 10th. There’s a solid 6 ft SE swell, with a period of 10 seconds, so it’s got some proper energy behind it (784 combined energy). The wind is a cross-off from the SSW at 9 mph, which should keep it pretty clean. The water’s a touch cooler than average, but nothing wild. This is a good one for advanced surfers – the swell’s pushing 6 ft, so it’s not for beginners, but the quality is there. The break is fairly consistent, though it can get a crowd sometimes, so get in early.

After that, the surf drops off pretty quick. Saturday morning, July 11th, is a standout for the smooth conditions: glassy, with a NNW breeze at only 3 mph, and a 4 ft SE swell. It’s a smaller day, but that glassy surface will make it a joy to be out there. The energy is moderate (483). The crowd could still be about, but if you’re after a clean, fun session, this is it.

Saturday afternoon sees a shift to a 5 ft ESE swell, but the wind turns cross-on from the NNE, so it’s not as clean. The period is 11 seconds, which is solid, but the wind is a bit of a buzzkill.

Sunday, July 12th is a nice little end to the weekend. Morning has a 3 ft ESE swell with a cross-off WNW breeze, and by afternoon it goes glassy with a SW wind. The swell is small (3 ft), but the glassy conditions make it very user-friendly. Combined energy is only around 203-205, so it’s all about the clean surface.

Then we hit a dry spell. From Monday, July 13th through to Friday, July 17th, the surf is small or messy, with a lot of poor conditions, strong winds, and short period energy. There’s a window on Thursday, July 16th where the swell jumps to 7-8 ft, but it’s coming with 16-19 mph winds and rain, so it’s not clean – more of a challenge than a pleasure. The combined energy creeps up to 572 by Thursday afternoon, but the wind is cross-off and strong, so it’s a messy, blown-out affair.

The real standout is Saturday, July 18th. That morning, you’ve got a 7 ft ESE swell, with a 10-second period, and a light SSW cross-off wind at 6 mph. The combined energy is a strong 1072, so there’s a lot of power in the water. This is an excellent session for experienced surfers, and the wind is light enough to keep it relatively clean. The break is fairly consistent, and the crowds might be around, but it’s worth the paddle. The swell direction is right on the optimum for The Island, so it’ll be lining up nicely. This is the best of the whole outlook.

Sunday, July 19th morning is still very good – a 6 ft E swell with a 10-second period, and a clean offshore WSW wind at 3 mph. The energy is moderate (586), and the conditions are glassy. It’s a good follow-up session.

After that, the surf slowly fades through the rest of the week. Tuesday, July 21st morning has a 4 ft E swell with a cross-off W wind, but by then the energy is dropping (236). The last half of the window, from July 22nd onward, is mostly small, weak, and not worth getting excited about, with combined energy under 100 most days.

So, to wrap it up: the best bets are Friday morning, July 10th for the solid 6 ft swell and clean conditions, and Saturday morning, July 11th for that glassy, smooth session. The absolute standout is Saturday, July 18th – that 7 ft of clean, powerful swell is the one to circle on the calendar. Long-range, it’s promising but not certain, so keep an eye on it.

Rusty.

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