Shipwrecks Bay-Peaks Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, I'm Rusty, and here's your local surf outlook for Shipwrecks Bay-Peaks.

Right now, things are flat and looking a bit grim. We've got a long stretch of nothing worth paddling out for through the start of the period, with poor surf conditions and small, weak swell under cross-shore or onshore winds. The first few days are a write-off, so save your energy.

The real action kicks off on Sunday the 5th of July when a bump in swell arrives. Sunday morning sees a 7ft swell from the west, but with a short period of 9 seconds, it'll be a bit messy. The combined energy is strong (1705), but it's a marginal call with light cross-shore winds. By Sunday afternoon, the swell drops to 4ft from the SW, but the period lengthens to 17 seconds – that's a long-period groundswell, which can be tricky here, tending to break a bit straight on the beach. The wind turns cross-onshore, so not the cleanest.

Things start to get interesting on Monday the 6th of July. The swell jumps to 12ft from the WSW, and the combined energy hits very strong (4547). But that's big – over 8ft, so this is strictly for experts only. The wind is a moderate cross-shore, creating some chop. Not ideal.

Tuesday the 7th of July is where it gets good. A massive 15ft SW groundswell with a very long period of 16 seconds rolls in, delivering a colossal combined energy of 10849. Now, with the wind out of the SSE as a clean cross-off, the surf quality improves dramatically. This is serious size for experienced surfers. The offshore wind sticks around through Wednesday the 8th of July – morning winds from the SSW at 15 mph keep the 12ft SW swell (period 14 seconds) clean and lined up. Afternoon sees a 13ft SW swell (period 10 seconds) with the same offshore breeze. The combined energy remains very strong (4682 and 3250). This is the standout window for the crew who can handle it.

Thursday the 9th of July stays big and clean – 15ft SSW swell with fresh offshore winds, but the wind is pushing 18-22 mph, making paddling out a serious workout.

Friday the 10th of July is the pick of the bunch for me. The swell drops to a still-chunky 10ft from the SW, but the period stretches to an incredible 18 seconds. The combined energy is very strong (5658). And the wind? Glassy offshore in the morning turning to completely glassy in the afternoon – just light winds from 3 mph out of the west. This is excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers, with clean, powerful lines.

The weekend of the 11th-12th of July keeps the swell solid at 8ft to 6ft SW, with light winds and clean conditions through most of it. Very fun for those with a bit of experience.

The second week sees the swell taper off but still offers some good options. Monday the 13th of July brings offshores and a 5ft SW swell, with an afternoon glass-off – real quality for a smaller day. Tuesday the 14th of July turns poor again with onshore winds, so skip it.

The following Friday the 17th of July sees a return of good surf: an 8ft SW swell with moderate offshore winds, clean and powerful for the experienced crew. Combined energy is still strong at 3090. That trend holds into Saturday the 18th of July, with a 6ft SW swell and clean offshore winds – a solid weekend option.

The best on offer: Friday the 10th of July for that glassy, 18-second groundswell at 10ft – a dream session for those who earn it. Tuesday the 7th through Wednesday the 8th of July is the consistent, powerful, offshore-swept stand-out window for the big-wave chargers.

Rusty.

Read more