Shark Island (Cronulla) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Looks like the next couple of weeks are a bit of a slow burner for the region, but there’s some real fire waiting for us if we’re patient. The forecast starts off with a few days of solid, clean surf, but you’ll need to pick your windows carefully.

The standout early call is Sunday morning, 19 July, at Shark Island (Cronulla). This is a reef setup, so you’re looking at a proper advanced wave. We’ve got a 6ft ENE swell, with a period of 11 seconds, and a cross-offshore wind from the SSE at 9 mph. The wave energy is moderate at 957, and the water is sitting at 62°, which is about average for the time of year. This is a true gem – the conditions are clean, and the swell direction is dialed in for that optimum SE direction. Expect very good surf conditions.

Monday morning, 20 July, holds at 6ft ENE, still clean with a light WNW breeze at 6 mph. The energy drops a touch to 803, but it’s still a solid option. Come Monday afternoon, though, the wind swings onshore from the NE at 12 mph, and the quality falls away fast.

Tuesday, 21 July, is a write-off. The morning is marginal with a 4ft ENE swell, and the NE wind hits 12 mph in the afternoon. Wednesday, 22 July, offers a tiny 3ft to 3ft ENE swell, but the afternoon turns glassy with a WNW breeze at 3 mph. It’s only surfable, nothing special.

Thursday, 23 July, kicks up a fresh S swell, but the wind is howling WSW at 19 mph, so it’s poor. Friday, 24 July, through Sunday, 26 July, sees a run of S swell between 4ft and 5ft, but the wind stays strong from the west at 16–19 mph. The energy builds from 346 to 640, but it’s all marginal at best. The wind is cross-off, so it’s clean, but the quality just isn’t there.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. We’ve got a gap with no real recommendations through the end of July, but on Tuesday, 28 July, the swell kicks hard. The morning brings a 7ft S swell, period of 13 seconds, with a light W cross-off breeze at 6 mph. The combined energy jumps to 2413, which is strong. This is excellent surf, but at 7ft, it’s pushing into expert territory. The afternoon, though, is a monster: 12ft SSE swell with a 16-second period, but the wind swings onshore from the NE. That’s big, powerful, and messy – only for the very experienced, and even then, it’s a gamble with the wind.

Wednesday, 29 July, morning is the real standout of the second week. A 8ft SSE swell, 13-second period, with a WNW cross-off breeze at 9 mph. Energy is 1713, and the conditions are clean. It’s excellent for experienced surfers. The wind is light, the swell is solid, and the direction is perfect for Shark Island’s optimum. This is the one to circle.

From Thursday, 30 July, through to Monday, 3 August, the swell stays in the 5ft to 8ft range from the SSE, but the wind gets messy. The big exception is Monday, 3 August, morning: a 8ft SSE swell, 13-second period, with a WSW offshore wind at 9 mph. The energy is 2119, and it’s clean and offshore. That’s a serious session for the experts.

The crowds at Shark Island can appear sometimes, so keep an eye out, but when the conditions line up like this, it’s worth the company.

Rusty.

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