Slade Bay/Boot Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, listen up. Rusty here. It’s a pretty bleak-looking window for our stretch of coast, that’s for sure. We’ve got a reef set-up that wants to work, Slade Bay/Boot Reef, but the ocean just isn’t cooperating. The water’s cranked up to 67.5°F and that’s 6.5°F warmer than it should be this time of year, which is a proper anomaly, so the whole system feels out of whack. We’re looking at a long stretch of nothing on offer, a real flat spell that’s going to test your patience.

The next week is essentially a write-off. Through the 5th, we get some swell, but it’s mostly short-period windswell bumping in from the WSW, anywhere from 2.6ft up to 5.6ft. The energy is weak to moderate, with combined readings in the low hundreds at best (84 to 358). But it’s all blown out and messy. Wednesday the 5th has a bit of size but it’s getting hammered by a fresh cross-shore breeze, so it’s just a lumpy, choppy mess. Not worth suiting up for. The following days fade and pulse, but the wind’s all over the place and the period stays short, under 8 seconds, so there’s no power or shape to it.

We get a couple of cleaner windows, like Sunday the 9th and Monday the 10th. The wind goes offshore or cross-off, and Monday the 10th even goes clean with an offshore, but there’s nothing to ride. We’re talking 1ft and a period of 4 seconds. That’s not surf, that’s a lake ripple. The mid part of the month keeps teasing with some more size, like the 14th and 15th, but again the period is low and the wind stays mostly on or cross. Saturday the 15th finally gets a real nod – it’s the only day with any kind of surfable waves. Swell is 4.3ft at 7 seconds from the W, with a light cross-off breeze. The energy is moderate (152) and the wind cleans it up. It’s still not going to be world-class, but it’s the only day you could genuinely get a few grovelly ones.

To be honest, this is a frustrating one. The 16-day window is full of poor surf conditions, and Slade Bay/Boot Reef just can't string it together. The only call I’d even consider making is for that Saturday the 15th, and even then, you’re looking for the cleanest, most protected corner. It’s a desert out there, so pace yourselves. This blank run isn't entirely unusual for the area, but forecasts can shift. Keep an eye on it.

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