Sawtell-The Island Surf Break

Lat Long: 30.37° S 153.11° E

Issued: 3 am 03 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Sawtell-The Island sea temperature is
20.0° 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 2 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Monday 6 Jul, 1AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 8s period, SSE swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Tuesday 7 Jul, 7PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 11s period, SSE swell with 2,497 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 3 Jul, 10AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 7s period with ENE 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 Friday (Jul 03) at 10AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 7s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 10s. Another secondary swell of 0.3m 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 3.0m 11s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Jul 07) at 7PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.3m 5s period and expected on Sunday (Jul 05) at 1PM.

Wave TypeTime (AEST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+)10AM (Fri 3rd Jul)2.5ft (0.8m) 7s
Best Surf 1AM (Mon 6th Jul)10ft (3.0m) 8s
Most Powerful 7PM (Tue 7th Jul)10ft (3.0m) 11s

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


Updates in  hr  min  s Forecast update imminent

Alright, Rusty here, and let’s have a look at what’s coming our way for the Sawtell-The Island zone.

We’ve got a bit of a mixed bag over the next couple of weeks, but there are a few windows that’ll get the blood pumping. The water temp is sitting at 68°, which is pretty much what you’d expect for this time of year – no weird anomalies to talk about.

The pattern starts off pretty ordinary. Friday the 3rd is flat and forgettable, with weak 3 ft ENE windswell and a short period of 7 seconds. There’s next to no energy in the water (96) and the wind is cross-off, but it’s just too small to get excited about. Saturday the 4th morning, we see a bump to 4 ft from the south with a period of 8 seconds, and the energy jumps up to 362 – still not huge though. That south swell holds into Sunday morning with 4 ft at 9 seconds and a bit more power (257), but the wind picks up to 12 mph from the SSW, making it a bit choppy.

Monday the 6th is where things start to get serious. The swell builds to 8 ft from the SSE by morning, period at 9 seconds, and the energy hits a solid 1097. That’s strong wave energy. But the wind is still a moderate 12 mph from the south, so conditions are marginal, and the break is getting pretty big. By Tuesday the 7th, it’s pumping – 10 ft SSE swell, period up to 11 seconds, and you’re looking at a massive 2776 to 3511 energy. That’s very strong energy, and the comment says it’s too big for this break. That’s expert-only territory, and at this size, you’d want to be very careful.

Wednesday the 8th still has size – 8 ft and 7 ft – but the period is long (11 seconds) which makes for better shaped waves, but the wind is cross-shore, so not glassy.

The standout window looks like Thursday the 9th. The swell drops to 6 ft from the SE, period at 10 seconds, and the energy is still solid at 836. But here’s the magic: the wind goes glassy – zero from the SSW. That means clean, glassy conditions. This is a good one. After that, Friday the 10th has 4 ft and clean light cross-off winds, but it’s not as punchy.

There’s another promising window on Tuesday the 14th. The swell comes back up to 5 ft from the SSE, period at 11 seconds, and the energy is 504. The wind swings to the southwest at 12 mph, which is offshore. So you’re looking at moderate offshore and clean conditions, with a nice long-period groundswell. That’s a solid pick. Expect good surf through that morning and into the afternoon.

After that, things drop off into a flat and windy patch from Wednesday the 15th through Friday the 17th – mostly 1 ft to 3 ft with fresh breezes. Then Saturday the 18th shows a late return of 6 ft to 7 ft from the SSW/SSE, but the wind is still moderate and the period is short, so it’s likely a bit messy.

The best of the lot over the whole run is Thursday the 9th with that glassy 6 ft SE swell, and Tuesday the 14th with the clean offshore 5 ft SSE groundswell. Those are your two standout sessions.

Rusty out.

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Sun afternoon. Warm (max 23°C on Fri morning, min 12°C on Fri night). Winds increasing (calm on Fri morning, fresh winds from the S by Sun afternoon).

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Moderate rain (total 12mm), heaviest on Mon morning. Very mild (max 18°C on Wed morning, min 12°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light.

Friday
3
Saturday
4
Sunday
5
Monday
6
Tuesday
7
Wednesday
8
Thursday
9
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
1
1
1
2
0
1
1
0
!
3
2
3
!
!
!
3
3
4
3
2
2
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.8
ENE
7
0.8
ENE
7
0.6
ENE
7
1.3
S
8
0.5
E
8
0.7
SSE
10
1.1
S
9
1.8
SSE
7
3
SSE
8
2.5
SSE
9
2.2
SSE
10
2.1
SSE
10
3
SSE
10
3
SSE
11
3
SSE
11
2.5
SSE
11
2.2
SE
11
2
SE
11
1.8
SE
10
1.6
SE
10
1.4
SE
10
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
73
71
41
186
30
110
194
310
1021
1060
932
849
1678
2209
2235
1596
1080
884
647
517
373
Wind (km/h)
10
NW
10
SSW
10
SW
10
SSW
10
SSE
15
SW
20
SSW
30
S
25
S
20
S
25
S
20
S
20
SW
25
S
20
SW
15
SSW
15
SSE
10
WSW
0
SSW
10
ESE
15
SW
Wind State
cross-off
cross-off
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
cross-on
cross-off
High Tide
10:10AM1.00m
10:19PM1.54m
10:52AM1.02m
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
Low Tide
3:44PM0.26m
5:03AM0.17m
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
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
rain showers
rain showers
light rain
light rain
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
rain showers
<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
4:58
4:59
4:59
5:00
5:00
5:00
 mm
1
3
2
2
4
2
2
1
Temp °C
23
22
16
15
15
13
16
16
14
15
15
15
16
17
14
18
17
14
16
16
13
Feels °C
22
20
12
13
13
10
11
10
9
11
10
11
12
12
10
14
14
12
14
15
11
Swell 1
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.8
ENE
7
0.8
ENE
7
0.6
ENE
7
0.9
SSE
7
0.6
S
6
0.7
SSE
10
0.5
E
8
0.6
SSE
12
0.3
ESE
12
0.3
E
14
1.1
ESE
8
1.1
ESE
8
2.3
SE
10
2.4
SE
11
2.5
SE
11
2.3
SE
11
2.2
SE
11
2
SE
11
1.8
SE
10
1.6
SE
10
1.4
SE
10
Energy kJ
73
71
41
89
26
110
30
111
29
37
155
147
1098
1302
1510
1128
1080
884
647
517
373
Swell 2
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.3
ESE
10
0.3
ESE
12
0.3
ESE
10
0.5
E
8
0.5
E
8
0.5
E
8
0.3
E
10
0.5
E
8
0.2
E
16
0.3
E
14
0.3
ESE
12
0.2
ESE
15
0.9
SE
12
1.6
SSE
11
0.9
ESE
10
0.4
ESE
10
0.1
S
21
Energy kJ
20
28
21
29
30
28
19
31
20
36
30
21
223
572
178
39
9
Swell 3
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.1
S
10
0.2
ESE
10
0.1
E
15
0.4
ESE
13
0.4
SSE
8
0.4
SSE
6
0.2
E
14
0.3
E
13
0.2
ENE
8
0.2
E
10
0.1
S
23
0.1
S
23
Energy kJ
2
9
4
58
22
12
14
28
6
9
11
10
Wind waves
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.3
NNW
3
0.5
SSW
3
1.3
S
8
0.2
SSW
2
1.1
S
9
1.8
SSE
7
3
SSE
8
2.5
SSE
9
2.2
SSE
10
2.1
SSE
10
3
SSE
10
3
SSE
11
3
SSE
11
2.5
SSE
11
Energy kJ
1
7
186
1
194
310
1021
1060
932
849
1678
2209
2235
1596
Nearest Offshore or Glassy
Rating
(10 max)
1
1
1
2
1
1
2
4
4
2
4
5
4
5
5
4
4
4
3
3
2
Distance (km)
0
0
0
0
2
0
2
75
674
249
531
30
2
75
2
16
2
0
0
75
0
Best forecast wave conditions in Port Macquarie
Rating
(10 max)
1
1
1
2
3
2
4
4
5
5
5
5
4
4
4
3
3
2
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia
Rating
(10 max)
5
3
4
4
5
4
3
9
7
4
4
9
8
6
5
5
4
5
5
4
5
Header Global
Rating
(10 max)
9
5
9
5
5
6
5
9
7
5
8
9
8
6
8
9
6
9
5
5
9
  • Map Icons:
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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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