Shark Island (Cronulla) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s shaping up for Shark Island (Cronulla). This is a reef setup that’s fairly exposed, so it needs the right direction to really fire. We’ve got a bit of a slow start, but things get interesting later.

First up, the water temp is sitting at 63.3°F, which is about average for this time of year, so nothing unusual there.

The first few days are pretty quiet. Tuesday the 28th and Wednesday the 29th are basically a write-off, with tiny swell and poor surf conditions. You’d be wasting your time paddling out. The combined energy is down in the weak range, like 39 and 20, so there’s just nothing happening.

Thursday the 30th sees a bit of a pulse. The morning brings a 5.2ft swell from the south with a 9-second period, and the wind is light and cross-off, so it’ll be clean. The combined energy is 449, which is a moderate kick. It’s not huge, but it’s the first real sign of life. The afternoon gets a bit messy with a cross-shore wind, so the morning is the go.

Friday the 31st is where it starts to get good. The morning has a 5.6ft S swell, 10 seconds, and a light offshore breeze from the southwest. That’s clean, lined-up waves. Combined energy is 603, so solid energy. The best of the first week, hands down. The afternoon stays clean but the wind swings a bit more cross-off, so still rideable.

Saturday the 1st of August keeps the run going with a 4.6ft S swell, 9 seconds, and light offshore winds in the morning. Clean again, with 330 combined energy. The afternoon turns a little cross-onshore, so stick to the early session.

Sunday the 2nd offers a bigger 5.2ft SSE swell with a long 13-second period, which is proper groundswell. The energy jumps to 871. The wind is light cross, so it’s a bit choppy but still clean. The afternoon is cross-off and cleaner. This is a standout for the week.

Monday the 3rd is a mess. Strong winds from the SSW at 25 mph, combined with a drop in swell quality. The surf is poor, even though the energy is still decent. Not one to get excited about.

Now, the second week gets serious, but it’s for experienced surfers only. Tuesday the 4th of August has a pumping 11.5ft S swell, 9 seconds, and the combined energy is a massive 1687. That’s strong. The wind is cross-off but fresh, so it’ll be a wild, heavy reef. Not for beginners. This continues through Wednesday the 5th and Thursday the 6th with 9.8ft to 8.2ft SSE swells and energy well over 1000. It’s big, powerful, and only for those who know what they’re doing. The rain showers and fresh winds add to the grunt.

Friday the 7th drops to 6.6ft SE swell, 8 seconds, with lighter winds. Still a handful, but the energy drops to 554. The weekend after that fades out, with smaller, weaker swells and onshore winds, so the real action is mid-week.

The absolute standout is Tuesday the 4th of August morning for the big wave hunters – that 11.5ft S swell with 1687 energy is a beast. But if you want something more manageable, Friday the 31st of July morning with 5.6ft, clean offshore winds, and good energy is the best all-rounder for the skilled crowd.

Crowds can be an issue here sometimes, so get in early.

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