Scar Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the table for the coming weeks. The swell window is about to open up and it's looking like a solid run of quality groundswell for those who know where to go.

We kick off with a clear winner right from the start.

Scar Reef is where the focus is. This reef and point setup is a bit sheltered, but it’s going to be working. It likes the swell from the SW, and that’s exactly what we’ve got coming. The water’s sitting at a pleasant 80°F, which is pretty much what you’d expect for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The first solid session lines up on Friday 31st July. The morning starts with a clean 4ft SSW swell riding a very long 17-second period. That’s proper groundswell energy, and with a light S breeze keeping it cross-off, the face will be smooth. The combined energy is a solid 1635 (moderate), and it’s only going to build. The afternoon cleans up even more with a 4ft SSW swell and a light ESE offshore breeze. This is a very good start for the crew who can handle a reef.

Saturday 1st August is a standout. The morning bumps up to 5ft from the SSW with a 16-second period, and the wind is light cross-off again. But the real gem is the afternoon: some clouds, a glassy 5 km/h ESE breeze, and the swell pushing 6ft from the SSW. The energy jumps to 1660 (moderate). That’s a long, clean, glassy session about to happen. Mark it in your calendar.

Sunday 2nd August sees the swell push to 7ft from the SSW. The morning is clean, and the afternoon is glassy again. The energy is now over 2000 (strong), and the period is still a long 16 seconds. This is excellent surf for experienced surfers, but at 7ft it’s getting into the territory where beginners might find it a bit heavy. The crowd factor is listed as “sometimes” here, so expect a few others who’ve been watching the charts.

The pattern continues through the first week. Monday and Tuesday hold steady at 6ft with clean conditions, mostly cross-off breezes. The energy stays in the moderate range, but the quality is high.

Now, the real juiciness starts to build. By Thursday 6th August, the swell jumps to 7ft from the SSW with a 17-second period. The combined energy is a powerful 2966 (strong) in the morning, and the afternoon sees a moderate offshore wind from the SE. This is expert territory.

The following week, from Friday 7th August through to Tuesday 11th August, the swell sits consistently between 7ft and 8ft, with a very long 17-second period. The energy readings are hitting the 3000 to 4000 range (strong) regularly. This is big, powerful groundswell. It’s going to be a bit of a paddle, but the sets will be clean and well-spaced. The wind stays favourable, mostly cross-off or light offshore. This is for the advanced crew only.

The real heavy-weight arrives on Thursday 13th August and Friday 14th August. We’re looking at 10ft to 12ft SSW swell with a 17 to 18-second period. The energy is massive, hitting 7417 on Thursday afternoon (very strong). This is not for the faint of heart. The Friday morning is particularly good, with an 12ft swell and a light SSW breeze (10 km/h). The conditions are clean, but at that size, it’s only for a handful of very experienced locals.

The run continues into Saturday 15th August with 8ft swell, but the energy is still strong. The conditions are clean, but the size is still demanding.

The standout of the whole period? Without a doubt, the stretch from Saturday 1st August through Sunday 2nd August. That 6ft to 7ft SSW groundswell with glassy or light offshore winds is the sweet spot. The energy is there, the shape will be there, and the crowd won’t be too crazy. If you can only pick one session, make it the afternoon of Saturday 1st August – glassy, 6ft, 17-second period, and a light breeze. That’s as good as it gets.

Keep in mind, this is a reef break, so respect the lineup. The long-period swells later in the period will be breaking straight at the beach, but here at the reef, the shape will be excellent.

Rusty.

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