Shipwrecks Bay-Peaks Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty comin' at ya live from the beach. Let's have a look at what the next couple of weeks have in store for us at Shipwrecks Bay-Peaks, a reef set-up that's got its eye on the southwest swell.

We're lookin' at a real feast-or-famine forecast here. The first couple of days are a no-go, but hang tight, because the weekend is about to get absolutely mental. After that, things settle down into a more manageable, but still good, rhythm.

The water's sittin' at 60°, which is bang on average for this time of year, so no shock to the system there.

Thursday 23rd July is a bit of a tease. The swell is already pushing through at 5 ft to 6 ft from the SW, with a long 14-second period. The energy is already pumping (1087). The wind is a light cross-offshore, so the surface is clean. It's surfable, but the real juice is still on the way.

Friday the 24th is a write-off. The wind swings onshore and fires up, making a mess of the 4 ft swell. Don't bother.

Now, Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th July are the absolute standouts, but with a massive caveat. This is for experienced surfers only. We're talkin' a proper, groundswell-powered event. Saturday morning the swell jumps to 18 ft from the WSW, and by the afternoon it's 20 ft from the SW with a 14-second period. The combined energy is staggering (15049). Sunday holds it at 15 ft to 13 ft with periods up to 16 seconds. The wind is offshore or cross-offshore, keeping things clean. This is big, powerful, heavy water. A reef break like this with that kind of size and energy is not for the faint of heart. If you're an expert, this is your window. The long period (over 15 seconds) means the sets will be clean and powerful, but at a beach break this size would be a washing machine. On a reef, it's a different story – expect proper, grinding barrels.

Monday 27th eases off a touch, but 10 ft to 8 ft of SW swell with a 13-second period and a true offshore wind is still a very good day for the experienced crew. The energy is still strong (3651).

The window from Tuesday 28th July through to the end of the month is a classic, sweet spot run. We're dropping into the 4 ft to 7 ft range. The wind is perfect, mostly glassy or offshore, especially on the Wednesday 29th and Thursday 30th July. Wednesday morning is glassy with a 5 ft SW swell, and Thursday morning has a little size bump to 6 ft with a light cross-shore. This is the kind of clean, user-friendly period where the reef will be working nicely. The energy is moderate (500-1800), so it's not a paddle-out battle.

The first week of August looks dicey. From the 1st to the 3rd, a strong onshore wind from the NE kicks in, blowing out a decent 10 ft+ swell. It's a choppy, lumpy mess. Not worth paddling for.

Then, around August 4th, 5th, and 6th, we get another pulse of energy. The swell is back up to 10 ft from the SW with a very long 16-second period, and the energy is pumping again (6000+). The wind is still a bit cross-onshore, so it won't be perfect, but it's promising. The real gem is Thursday 6th August: it's glassy, with a 10 ft swell from the S. That's a different direction, but the conditions are pristine. This is a promising long-range call, but keep an eye on it.

Finally, Friday 7th August looks like a clean exit, with 5 ft to 5 ft of SW swell and a light offshore wind. A nice way to finish the run.

So, the best on offer is the massive, expert-only swell on the 25th and 26th of July. For the rest of us, the clean, glassy conditions right at the end of July and the start of August are the real targets.

This is Rusty, signing off.

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