Sixtynine Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. We’re taking a look at the next couple of weeks at Sixtynine, and I’ve got to be straight with you – it’s looking pretty bleak for a proper paddle session. The whole 16-day window is a bit of a write-off, with only tiny scraps of energy and a lot of dead flat days. The water temp is sitting at a warm 80°F, which is about normal for this time of year, so at least you won’t be freezing your toes off.

The first few days, from Saturday the 11th right through to Monday the 14th, we’ve got tiny swell – 1.0ft to 1ft from the west, with periods around 12 to 14 seconds. That’s a weak little groundswell, but the combined energy is feeble, barely cracking 112 (moderate) on the Saturday morning, then dropping into the 30s and 20s – real weak stuff. Winds are mostly cross or cross-off, but with such small waves, it’s just not worth the paddle. There’s a brief moment on Monday afternoon where it goes glassy, but the swell is only 0.7ft, so you’d be floating on a lake.

Things get a bit more interesting around Tuesday the 15th through Thursday the 17th. Swell picks up to 2ft to 3ft, still from the west, with periods of 15 to 19 seconds. That’s a very long-period groundswell, which means better-shaped waves but long waits between sets. The combined energy climbs into the 250–310 range, so there’s some moderate grunt in the water. Thursday afternoon looks like the standout of the whole period: 3ft west swell, 15-second period, and glassy conditions with light wind. That’s about as clean as it gets, but the swell height is still small – fine for a log or a longboard, but nothing to get the heart racing. The problem is, the swell is coming from the west, and Sixtynine is a fairly exposed spot that works best with a WNW swell direction, so the waves might be a bit wonky. The rest of the week falls away again, with energy dropping back to the 100s and 0s.

From Friday the 18th right through to Sunday the 26th, it’s a real struggle. We’ve got days of zero swell – flat as a pancake – with only a couple of ripples of 0.3ft to 0.7ft popping up. The combined energy barely hits double digits, and most days are below 30. The wind is light, sometimes glassy, but there’s simply no wave to ride. It’s a long, dry stretch.

If you’re desperate for a paddle, the only real chance is Thursday afternoon, July 16th, with that 3ft west swell and glassy conditions. It’s not going to be epic, but it’ll be clean. For beginners, anything over 5ft is too big, so this is fine for all levels. Crowds are sometimes a thing here, so you might see a few others out. Honestly, for the rest of the window, you’re better off with a kiteboard if the wind picks up, but for a surf, it’s a waiting game. Forecasts can change, and this spot tends to get inconsistent, so keep an eye out.

Rusty.

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