Scarecrows Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, checking in on the only spot on the cards for a while. It’s a one-break show, so let’s talk about Scarecrows.

This is a consistent, exposed reef setup that takes a south-west swell, so it’s picky about direction. It’s an advanced wave, and it’s not going to be empty—crowds are possible here. The water’s sitting at 85°, which is pretty much spot on for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The first week is a bit of a mixed bag of promise and frustration. We kick off on Thursday, the 30th of July, but honestly, it’s a write-off. You’ve got a 3ft south-west groundswell, but with a cross-shore wind at 12 mph and a cross-chop, the energy is weak (1046). It’s not worth paddling out.

Friday the 31st to Sunday the 2nd of August sees some improvement. The swell bumps up to 4ft to 5ft from the SSW, with a long period of 15 to 17 seconds. The mornings are the time to be in the water. You’ve got light, clean cross-offshore winds blowing at 6 mph, and the wave energy is ramping up into the moderate range (1166 to 1349). The set waves will have good shape, but that long period might make the reef sections a bit racy. It’s a solid call for the experienced crew.

The middle of the week, Monday the 3rd and Tuesday the 4th, is a bit of a tease. Monday morning looks clean with a 5ft SSW swell and a whisper of easterly wind, but by the afternoon, the wind swings onshore and the quality drops. Tuesday sees the swell push up to 5ft, but it starts getting a little messy with the wind. The energy is getting stronger (1306 to 1429), but the texture isn’t perfect.

The standout for the whole first week, and really the best bet, is Thursday the 6th of August through the weekend of the 8th and 9th. Thursday morning kicks off with a 7ft swell from the SSW, and the wind is a clean offshores. The wave energy is powerful (over 2200). By Friday the 7th, it’s looking even better. The swell holds at 7ft, the wind is light and offshore (3 mph), and the sets are clean. The energy is very strong (2579). This is proper, heavy reef surf for the experts. It’s getting a bit big for most, so only the experienced should be looking at this.

Then we hit the real gold. The second week is where this forecast gets exciting. The morning of Monday the 10th of August is glassy. I mean, dead flat calm, glassy. The swell is 6ft, and the energy is huge (2678). That afternoon, it gets even better. The swell jumps to 8ft, shifting slightly to the south, with a period of 17 seconds. The wind is still glassy. The energy is monstrous (4092). That is a very, very good window of surf.

Tuesday the 11th and Wednesday the 12th keep the quality high. The swell stays in the 6ft to 8ft range, with clean offshores or glassy conditions. The energy is consistently above 3000. It’s a long run of solid, clean, powerful reef waves.

The absolute peak of the entire forecast, and the one to circle on the calendar, is Thursday the 14th of August. The morning shows a 8ft SSW swell, with a period of 19 seconds, and light, clean offshores. The combined energy is a massive 5625. That’s exceptional, heavy-duty groundswell. It’s strictly for experts—this is a big, powerful, hungry reef wave. The afternoon holds similar size, but the wind gets a little onshore, so it’s not as clean.

The long period swells in the second week are a caveat for a reef break like this. Anything over 15 seconds can make the lines a bit straight and fast, but Scarecrows is a reef, so it should handle it well. The gaps between sets will be long, but the ones that come through will be worth the wait.

Overall, there’s a bit of a slow start, but from the 6th of August onwards, it’s a solid run of quality. The glassy days on the 10th and 11th are the real standouts for a clean, powerful session. The 14th of August is the big one, but it’s a promise, not a guarantee, this far out.

Rusty.

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