Shooting Gallery Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s on the menu for the next 16 days at Shooting Gallery. I’ll be straight with you – it’s not looking like a classic run. We’ve got a solid stretch of poor conditions, so don’t expect to see any standouts. The first bit of surf that’s even worth a mention doesn’t come until the morning of Sunday, 2nd August, and even then, it’s pretty ordinary.

The Outlook

Right now, through to the end of the month, it’s a write-off. We’re looking at a persistent north to north-northeast wind, blowing 15 to 16 mph. That’s putting a cross-onshore chop on everything, making it messy and poor. The swell is small, around 3 ft to 4 ft from the north, with a short period of 5 to 7 seconds. The combined energy is weak to moderate (83 to 313), but it’s all wasted with that wind. This is a dead zone for us.

Finally, on Sunday morning, 2nd August, we get a little window. The wind swings to a light west-northwest at 9 mph, making it a clean cross-offshore breeze. The swell is small, only 3 ft from the north, with a period of 7 seconds. The combined energy is weak (147). The file says it’s "surfable waves but very ordinary conditions." I’d call it a 1 out of 10. It’s ankle to knee-high, maybe a waist-high set if you’re lucky. The water temp is sitting at 73°, which is about 2° warmer than normal for this time of year – that’s a nice change, but it won’t save the waves.

After that brief flicker of hope, it’s back to the same old story. From Monday, 3rd August, right through to Wednesday, 12th August, the wind stays stubbornly onshore or cross-onshore from the north or north-northeast. The swell does build, from 3 ft up to 7 ft, and the combined energy gets strong (up to 574), but it’s all for nothing. That constant onshore wind makes it choppy and bumpy. The period stays short at 7 to 8 seconds, so it’s a weak, wind-affected mess.

For a spot like Shooting Gallery, which is a reef break that’s fairly exposed to the north swell, this is a tough forecast. The optimum swell direction is from the north-northwest, which we get occasionally, but the wind is just wrong. Even when the swell hits 7 ft on Monday, 10th August, the cross-onshore wind at 16 mph ruins it. That’s too big for beginners anyway, and with that wind, it’s only for those who want a beating.

Honestly, there’s nothing here to get excited about. The best bet is that brief window on Sunday, 2nd August morning, but even then, it’s small and ordinary. The rest of the 16 days is a gap of poor surf. Don’t bother paddling out unless you’re desperate for a float.

Rusty.

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