Shipwrecks Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, Rusty here. Let me tell you about Shipwrecks (reef and point). It's a pretty consistent spot, fairly exposed to the swell, and needs a good S or SSW swell to light up proper. The water's sitting at a very unusual 84°, a massive 7° warmer than normal for this time of year – that's a standout all on its own.

Right, looking at the next couple of weeks, honestly mate, it's a tough stretch. We've got a long run of poor conditions ahead. From Sunday, the 5th of July right through to Monday the 20th of July, the surf just isn't offering anything worth paddling out for. You're looking at a solid stretch of days with no real recommendations. The swell direction is mostly SSW, which is what the spot wants, but the quality just ain't there.

The energy in the water fluctuates, with combined energy values ranging from around 300 to over 1100 (moderate to strong energy), which tells you there's power, but the wind and tide are working against us. There's no standout window. Swell heights hover around 3 ft to 4 ft, but even the bigger pulses on Tuesday the 7th (4 ft - 4 ft from SSW) are stuffed by cross-shore and cross-onshore breezes from the SW and S, making it a choppy mess.

The most interesting moment might be a brief window on the afternoon of Sunday the 19th of July. We get a clean wind from the W and a cross-offshore breeze, with a 2 ft SSW swell and a period of 17 seconds. That's a very long period groundswell, which will wrap nicely around the point and reef, offering some well-shaped but small waves. The energy is moderate (312). But it's tiny, and the run of poor conditions before it makes it a long shot. For the rest of the period, the onshore and cross-offshore winds just won't let up.

Honestly, for the next couple of weeks, the setup at Shipwrecks looks more interesting for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer, given the persistent cross and side-shore winds. There's just nothing worth getting excited about for a surf.

- Rusty

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