Sawtell-The Island Surf Break

Lat Long: 30.37° S 153.11° E

Sawtell-The Island Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 9 am 11 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Sawtell-The Island sea temperature is
19.7° C
0.6° 

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 11 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Wednesday 15 Jul, 10PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 9s period, SSE swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Saturday 18 Jul, 4PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 11s period, ESE swell with 2,460 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 11 Jul, 10PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 11s period with ESE 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 Saturday (Jul 11) at 10PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.3m and 11s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 9s. Another secondary swell of 0.4m and 3s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Sawtell-The Island in the next 16 days are 3.5m 11s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Jul 18) at 4PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.0m 4s period and expected on Wednesday (Jul 15) at 10AM.

Wave TypeTime (AEST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+)10PM (Sat 11th Jul)4.5ft (1.3m) 11s
Best Surf10PM (Wed 15th Jul)10ft (3.0m) 9s
Most Powerful 4PM (Sat 18th Jul)11ft (3.5m) 11s

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


Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer for Sawtell-The Island. It’s a bit of a mixed bag, but there’s definitely some quality to be found if you’re patient.

The water temp is sitting at 68°, which is about 1° cooler than usual for this time of year – nothing crazy, just a touch on the fresh side, so you might want that extra mil.

We’ve got a decent run of small, clean conditions kicking off the weekend. Saturday morning, July 11th, is the standout early call. The Island is seeing a 4ft SE swell, a period of 10 seconds, and with those NNW winds going glassy, it’s going to be silky smooth. The combined energy is moderate at 513, so there’s a bit of push. It’s a fairly consistent break, but it can get crowded, so get in early. This is the pick of the first week.

From Saturday afternoon, things get a bit ordinary. Sunday morning, July 12th, offers a clean 3ft ESE swell with a light cross-offshore WNW breeze, but it’s a bit of a drop-off. The energy is weak at 206. Monday morning, the 13th, is glassy again but the swell has dropped to just 2ft from the south with a short 8-second period – energy is a paltry 93. It’s surfable, but barely.

After that, we hit a real slump. From Tuesday, July 14th, through to Wednesday morning, July 15th, the swell flatlines to 0.7ft. That’s a solid two-day gap with nothing worth paddling for. On Wednesday afternoon, the wind picks up and an 8ft SSE swell arrives, but the period is short (8 seconds), and the wind is a fresh 30 km/h cross-offshore. The energy jumps to 824, but it’s messy and probably not worth the effort.

Then it gets chunky, but not for the faint-hearted. From Thursday, July 16th, right through to Monday, July 20th, the swell pumps up to 10ft to 12ft from the SE and ESE. The energy readings are massive – 2177, 4387, even 6100 on the 19th. But this is an advanced spot, and those sizes are too big for most. The wind is often cross or cross-off, and the forecasts are saying it’s simply too big for this break. This is expert-only territory, and even then, it’s a serious call.

The real gem in the second week is further out. On Tuesday, July 21st, the swell drops to a more manageable 8ft from the east, with a long 12-second period. The wind is a light cross-offshore from the SSW, making for clean conditions. Combined energy is a strong 1757. This is excellent for experienced surfers.

Then keep an eye on Thursday, July 23rd afternoon. An 8ft S swell with an 11-second period, clean cross-offshore winds, and energy at 2638. That’s another proper session for the crew who know what they’re doing.

Further ahead, Saturday, July 26th morning looks promising again with a 6ft ESE swell, 11-second period, and a clean offshore WSW breeze. The energy is 1012, and it’s flagged as excellent for experienced surfers.

So, the bottom line: Saturday morning, July 11th, is your best bet for a fun, clean, user-friendly wave. For the big dog crew, the windows on July 21st morning and July 23rd afternoon are the standouts, but they’re for the experienced only. There’s a dead patch in the middle of the first week, so plan around it.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Warm (max 21°C on Sun morning, min 10°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 9mm), mostly falling on Wed morning. Very mild (max 17°C on Tue morning, min 13°C on Tue night). Winds increasing (light winds from the W on Tue afternoon, fresh winds from the S by Thu afternoon).

Saturday
11
Sunday
12
Monday
13
Tuesday
14
Wednesday
15
Thursday
16
Friday
17
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
3
1
2
2
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.3
SE
10
1.5
ESE
11
1.3
ESE
10
1
ESE
10
0.9
ESE
10
0.7
SE
9
0.7
S
8
0.5
S
8
0.3
S
8
0.2
S
8
0.2
S
8
0.3
S
7
0.2
SSE
12
2.5
SSE
8
3
SSE
9
3.5
SE
9
3.5
SE
9
3
SE
9
3
SE
9
3
SE
9
3
SE
9
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
287
527
367
200
157
79
55
29
12
5
5
9
14
824
1429
2177
1842
1573
1373
1437
1374
Wind (km/h)
0
NNW
10
NE
10
WNW
10
WNW
10
SW
10
WSW
0
WSW
15
ENE
10
W
5
SSW
10
ENE
10
W
30
SSW
30
SSW
30
S
35
S
35
S
25
S
25
SSE
30
SSE
20
S
Wind State
glassy
cross-on
cross-off
cross-off
off
off
glassy
on
off
cross-off
on
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross
cross
cross-off
High Tide
5:25PM1.62m
5:46AM1.02m
6:21PM1.74m
6:48AM1.05m
7:15PM1.83m
7:44AM1.08m
8:06PM1.88m
8:36AM1.12m
8:55PM1.88m
9:26AM1.15m
9:42PM1.82m
10:15AM1.17m
10:27PM1.70m
Low Tide
10:34AM0.15m
00:12AM0.20m
11:33AM0.12m
1:11AM0.09m
12:30PM0.07m
2:04AM0.01m
1:24PM0.03m
2:53AM-0.03m
2:15PM0.02m
3:39AM-0.04m
3:06PM0.05m
4:23AM-0.02m
3:56PM0.11m
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
cloud
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:43
6:43
6:43
6:41
6:41
6:41
6:41
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:01
5:01
5:02
5:02
5:04
5:04
5:05
 mm
3
2
1
1
2
3
3
9
Temp °C
17
17
13
21
20
13
16
16
13
17
16
14
14
14
15
16
16
15
17
17
15
Feels °C
15
15
11
18
17
10
14
14
11
14
13
11
7
7
8
8
8
9
11
12
11
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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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