Shark Island (Cronulla) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ll level with you – for the next week or so, Shark Island’s pulling a bit of a blank. We’ve got a solid run of poor surf, marginal conditions, and ordinary wind, so don’t bother rushing down. The first real chance of something decent isn’t until Monday the 20th, and even then it’s a tease.

The real story starts to build from the 28th of July, when a proper south swell finally kicks in. That’s the standout period. But before we get there, we’ve got a long stretch of quiet.

Alright, let’s break it down.

Wednesday the 15th of July has a bit of 7ft south swell, but the wind is a cross-off southerly at 25 km/h. The water’s sitting at 62°, which is about normal for this time of year, and the combined energy is moderate (691). It’s a score of 1, so it’s marginal – tide issues and messy vibes. Not worth the paddle.

Thursday the 16th and Friday the 17th are a write-off. Fresh breezes, rain, and tiny or poor swell. Saturday the 18th has a bit of knee-high easterly stuff, but again, wind is cross-off and the energy is weak (117 to 181). Don’t bother.

Sunday the 19th is where we see a glimmer. A 6ft swell from the east-northeast, with a period of 10 seconds, and light cross-shore wind from the southeast at 10 km/h. The combined energy is moderate (656 to 689). It’s still marginal though, and the score is only a 1 or 2. The wind is light cross-shore, so there’s a few small ripples, but it’s not clean. You could get a wave, but it’s not anything to write home about.

Monday the 20th has a decent morning window. Early, the wind swings around to a light west-northwest at 10 km/h, giving a clean cross-off. The swell is 5ft from the east-northeast, period 10 seconds, and energy is moderate (611). The score is a 2, and it says “expect good surf conditions.” This is the best of the first week. It’s a proper reef break, so it’ll handle the east-northeast swell well, and the wind is light enough to keep it clean. But it’s not a huge standout – crowds are possible here, and it’s an advanced spot, so be ready for that.

From Tuesday the 21st through to the 27th, it’s mostly small, ordinary, or poor. There’s a few mornings with clean offshore winds, like the 22nd and 23rd, but the swell is tiny (4ft dropping to 3ft) and the energy is weak (143 to 287). It’s surfable, but very ordinary. You’d be scratching for waves.

Now, here’s the real deal. Tuesday the 28th of July. The morning fires up with a clean 6ft south swell, period 9 seconds, and a moderate offshore wind from the south-southwest at 20 km/h. The combined energy is moderate (550). The score is a 2, and it says “expect good surf conditions.” This is the first proper standout. The wave energy is building, the wind is offshore and clean, and the swell is heading in a good direction for Shark Island. It’s not huge, but it’s got some push.

The afternoon of the 28th, the swell jumps up to 8ft from the south, period 10 seconds. The energy is very strong (1173). The wind, however, is a fresh southerly cross-off at 30 km/h. The score is a 1, and it’s marginal. For experts only at that size, and the wind will make it lumpy. Still, it’s a big swell.

Wednesday the 29th of July, morning is a gem. A 7ft south swell, period 8 seconds, with a gentle offshore wind from the south-southwest at 15 km/h. The energy is moderate (643). The score is a 2, and it says “expect good surf conditions.” The wind is light and clean, so the waves will be well-shaped. This is another standout window.

The 30th of July, Thursday morning, is the pick of the entire forecast. A 6ft south swell, but with a period of 11 seconds – proper groundswell – and a light westerly cross-off at 10 km/h. The combined energy is strong (767). The score is a 3, saying “expect very good surf conditions.” The wind is light, the swell is long-period, and it’s directed south. For a reef like Shark Island, this is money. The long period will give some nice, powerful lines, and the light wind will keep it glassy. The afternoon gets messy as the wind swings onshore, so hit the morning.

So, overall, don’t waste your time until Monday the 20th, and even then keep expectations low. The real action is Tuesday the 28th through to Thursday the 30th. The 30th of July morning is the absolute standout. Paddle out with a plan.

Rusty.

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