Shipwrecks (Nusa Lembongan) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what’s cooking at Shipwrecks on Nusa Lembongan. This is a reef break that’s consistent, and it’s one for the advanced crew. The water temperature is sitting at 81°, which is pretty much normal for this time of year, so no weird surprises there.

The first few days are a bit of a mixed bag. Tuesday the 28th brings us a 6ft swell from the SE with a short period of 7 seconds, and a fresh offshore wind from the SE. The combined energy is moderate (654), but the wave comment says it’s marginal. It’s surfable, but don’t expect perfection. That SE wind is offshore, so it’s clean, but that short period means the waves will be a bit lumpy and weak.

Then we start to see things improve. Wednesday the 29th and Thursday the 30th have a smaller swell, around 4ft to 4ft, but now it’s coming from the SSW with a much longer period of 14 to 15 seconds. That’s groundswell energy, and the combined energy jumps up to 756 and 1058. The wind stays offshore from the SE, and conditions are described as “expect good” and “very good.” This is where the quality starts to show.

Friday the 31st and Saturday the 1st of August are the real standouts. The swell holds at 3ft to 5ft from the SSW, but the period stretches to 17 and even 18 seconds on Saturday afternoon. That’s proper long-period groundswell, and for a reef break like Shipwrecks, that’s a dream. The combined energy is strong (1046 to 1354), and the wind is a gentle offshore breeze from the SE. The water will be glassy, the waves will have shape, and it’s going to be clean. The crowds are noted as “sometimes,” so be prepared for a few others in the water, but it’s not a circus.

Sunday the 2nd of August is the absolute pick of the whole forecast. The swell is 6ft from the SSW with a period of 17 seconds, and the combined energy is massive at 1964 in the morning and 2174 in the afternoon. The wind is light and offshore, and the report says “excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers.” At 6ft, it’s a solid size that’s still manageable for strong intermediates, but this is where the advanced crew will have a field day. That long period on a reef will produce some beautiful, powerful lines.

After that, the swell stays good but the wind gets a bit more cross-off in the afternoons. Monday the 3rd and Tuesday the 4th hold 5ft to 5ft SSW swell with periods around 14 to 15 seconds, and the energy is still strong. The mornings are cleaner with offshore winds, so that’s your window.

Into the second week, things get bigger and more serious. Wednesday the 5th of August is still 5ft, but then Thursday the 6th jumps to 6ft, and Friday the 7th hits 7ft with a 16-second period and a fresh offshore wind. The combined energy is over 2000, and it’s “excellent for experienced surfers.” At 7ft, this is expert territory. Saturday the 8th and Sunday the 9th see the swell pump up to 7ft and even 10ft, with periods of 20 seconds and 18 seconds. The combined energy is astronomical (4607 and 5094). This is huge, powerful, and very long-period groundswell. For a reef, it’s going to be a freight train. The wind is mostly cross-off, so it’s clean but not perfectly glassy. This is for the hardcore crew only.

The final days from the 10th to the 12th of August still have solid 8ft to 8ft SSW swell with periods around 15 to 16 seconds, but the wind stays cross-off. The energy is still very high (2000+), but the conditions are described as “marginal,” so it might be a bit lumpy. Still, there’s plenty of power.

So, the standout windows are the gentle offshore mornings from Friday the 31st of July through to Sunday the 2nd of August, with that long-period, clean, 3ft to 6ft swell. That’s your best bet for a great session without getting hammered. For the big-wave hunters, the 2nd of August is the pick, and then the 6th to the 8th of August for the serious stuff.

Rusty out.

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