Seaside Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, it’s a slow start. The surf is lean and the conditions are a bit messy. For the first week and a half, we’re looking at a lot of small, weak swell mixed with onshore or cross-onshore winds. The first few days from Tuesday the 14th through to the morning of Monday the 20th are mostly poor, with a few marginal windows. Winds are light to gentle, but they’re coming from the wrong direction, putting a chop on the surface. The combined wave energy is low, so there’s not much power behind it. You’ll be chasing ankle-biters if you’re keen.

The first real standout in the whole run comes right at the end of the first week, but it’s a long way off. Hold on for Thursday the 23rd of July. That afternoon, Seaside Reef finally gets a clean look. The wind swings light from the SSE, almost offshore, and the swell bumps up to 1.5m (about 5 ft) from the south with a 14-second period. The combined energy is solid, so there’s some proper grunt in the water. This is a true gem for experienced surfers. The water is sitting at 73°F, which is a massive 6°F warmer than normal for this time of year – very unusual, so you can leave the wetsuit at home. Given it’s a reef break with an inconsistent reputation, it’s not always gonna be working, but when it lines up like this, it’s special. Crowds are often an issue here, so get in early.

After that little spike, we roll into Friday the 24th and Saturday the 25th of July. The swell jumps up big time – 1.9m to 2.5m (6 ft to 8 ft) from the south with a 14 to 16-second period. The energy readings are massive, hitting a peak on Friday afternoon. But here’s the kicker: the wind is offshore from the west, which is clean, but the wave comments say it’s only marginal. The size is enough to get your heart pumping, but the consistency and quality might be a bit wonky. For a reef break, this long-period groundswell could be a bit straight and fat, but with offshore wind, it’s worth a gamble for the experienced crew. Beginners, stay away – over 1.5m (5 ft) is getting too big, and anything over 2.5m (8 ft) is for experts only.

The final week of the month, from Sunday the 26th onward, the swell drops back down to the 0.9m to 1.3m (3 ft to 4 ft) range. The energy is moderate, and the wind is mostly cross-onshore, so the quality fades. It’s not bad, but it’s not the standout. Overall, the best window is Thursday the 23rd afternoon and maybe the big, windy, powerful days on the 24th and 25th if you’ve got the skills.

Rusty.

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