Shooting Gallery Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, I’m Rusty. Let’s have a look at what’s coming down the line. Honestly, the next couple of weeks look pretty grim for Shooting Gallery. There’s no real standout session in the whole sixteen-day window. The first few days are basically a write-off, and it doesn’t get much better from there.

We kick off Sunday, July 5th with a tiny, weak swell from the north at 3 ft, a short 9-second period, and a cross wind that’s going to leave it all chopped up. Water temp is sitting at 72°, which is about average for this time of year. The combined energy is only 138 – just weak, unimpressive stuff. Monday the 6th is even smaller and more onshore. Tuesday the 7th drops to a pathetic 2 ft from the northeast with a 5-second period and combined energy of just 47. That’s barely a ripple.

Through the first week, the swell stays under 3 ft, the wind is mostly cross to cross-onshore, and every slot gets a 0 out of 10. You’d be wasting your time.

There’s a slight bump in size around Friday, July 10th and into the weekend, with 4 ft from the north and period stuck at 6 seconds. But it’s still all cross-onshore with fresh winds hitting 30 km/h, making it lumpy and messy. The combined energy climbs above 100, hitting 105 and 114, but it’s not doing you any favours with that wind.

By the second week, we start seeing some proper height. Tuesday, July 14th through Thursday, July 16th, the swell sits between 5 ft and 5 ft, period stretches to 8 seconds, and energy jumps into the 200s and 300s. That’s moderate wave energy (309 on the 14th, 329 on the 17th). But the wind is still cross-onshore from the north-northeast or north, and the water is all choppy and lumpy. Every single report says “poor surf conditions.”

For a reef break that’s fairly exposed and needs a clean offshore from the southwest to really work, this north wind pattern is a total killer. The break is consistent, but that doesn’t matter when the quality is this bad. Beginners should note that by mid-July the swell is over 5 ft, so it would be too much for them anyway. For experts, the wind is just too onshore for it to be worth paddling out.

There is no bright spot here. The entire 16-day stretch is one long gap of poor conditions. At a spot like Shooting Gallery, a blank run like this is pretty normal when the wind doesn’t play ball. Sometimes you get lucky and the forecasts change, but right now, I’d leave the board in the van.

– Rusty

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