Shooting Gallery Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what we've got coming up. It's a tough one, to be honest.

Right off the bat, we're looking at a pretty grim stretch. For the next week and a half, it's just not happening. From Tuesday the 28th of July all the way through to Monday the 10th of August, it's all "poor surf conditions." The wind is mostly a messy cross-onshore breeze, and the swell is small and weak. There's no point sugar-coating it; the paddle-out is going to be a chop-fest, and you'll be fighting the wind more than riding waves.

There's a bit of a pulse in wave energy towards the end of that run. On Wednesday the 5th of August, the swell climbs to 5ft from the north, and the combined energy jumps up to 345 (moderate), but it's still howling cross-onshore. By Thursday the 6th, energy is strong at 735 (moderate wave energy), with a 7ft north-northeast swell and a period of 8 seconds, but again, that onshore wind from the northeast is not doing us any favours. For the beginners out there, that 7ft swell is getting a bit too big anyway.

The one spot on the cards is Shooting Gallery, a reef break for the intermediate crew. It's a consistent wave when it works, but with this persistent northerly wind pattern, it's just not cleaning up. The water temp is sitting at 73°, which is about average for this time of year, so at least you won't freeze waiting.

Now, stepping into the second week, things get a little more interesting but still not great. Around Tuesday the 11th of August, we see a 6ft north swell hanging around with energy at 358 (moderate), but the cross-onshore wind is still a factor. On Wednesday the 12th, the energy spikes to 502 (moderate) with a 5ft north swell in the morning, but by the afternoon the swell drops to 3ft and the period stretches out to 11 seconds from the northwest. That longer period means a cleaner, more powerful wave, but with the wind still cross-onshore at 15 mph, it's going to be lumpy.

Honestly, the whole 16-day window is a write-off. There isn't a single standout session. The swell and the wind just can't get on the same page. Sometimes you get these blank runs, and this is one of them. I'd say save your energy, wax your board for the next window, and hope the forecasts shift.

Rusty.

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