Shark Island (Cronulla) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get into it. The outlook for Shark Island (Cronulla) is a bit of a slow burner, but there’s a proper payoff waiting for those who can be patient. The next few days are pretty flat and forgettable, but by the middle of the second week, we’re looking at a solid run of S swell that’ll have the reef firing.

The water temp is sitting right around 64°F, which is bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

Alright, let’s break it down day by day. This Saturday morning, July 11, there’s a small 4ft SE swell rolling in, but the wind is cross from the NW and it’s a bit messy. Not worth paddling out for. The afternoon goes onshore and drops off. Sunday and Monday are basically a write-off – tiny waves and clean but tiny. Tuesday is flat as a tack.

We finally see some life on Wednesday morning, July 15. A solid 7ft S swell starts pushing in, with a period of 10 seconds and a solid 808 unit punch of energy. The wind is offshore from the SSW, so it’s clean. It’s a bit dumpy for the average punter, though – that’s expert territory. The afternoon sees the swell jump to 8ft (energy reading 1397), but the wind shifts cross-off, so it’s still rideable for the experienced crew. Not a beginner’s wave.

Thursday the 16th is smaller again, dropping to 5ft in the morning, and the period shortens to 8 seconds, so it’s a bit weaker and more chop-prone. The wind stays cross-off, but it’s not the standout.

The real standout window opens up on Saturday morning, July 18. The swell is a clean 5ft from the E with a 9-second period, and the wind is a light WSW cross-off. The energy is solid at 372, and conditions are clean. This is the pick of the first week – a proper, fun, surfable wave for the good crew. Crowds can be an issue here sometimes, but for a morning like that, it’s worth the company.

Sunday the 19th sees a bump in size to 5ft, but the wind goes cross from the NW, putting a bit of chop on the face. Not as clean.

Now for the big one. Wednesday, July 22. This is the real standout of the whole outlook. We’ve got a 8ft S swell (energy reading 2231) with a 10-second period and a gentle offshore wind from the SSW. This is excellent surf for experienced surfers. The reef at Shark Island will handle that long S groundswell beautifully, offering up proper, well-shaped lines. The afternoon holds at 8ft with a light S cross-off, still clean and powerful. If you’re an advanced surfer, this is your day. The following Thursday morning, July 23, is still pumping at 8ft from the S, with a light W cross-off. Still very good, just a notch down from the peak.

After that, the swell fades through the end of the month, with a glassy morning on Sunday the 26th offering small 4ft waves, but nothing to write home about.

To sum it up: the first week is mostly a bust. The real action is on Saturday July 18 for a fun, clean E swell, and then absolutely lock in Wednesday July 22 and Thursday July 23 for the best S groundswell of the period. That’s your window.

Rusty.

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