Slade Bay/Boot Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, grab your stick, let’s have a look. The next couple of weeks have a bit of a slow start, but there’s some promise for those willing to wait.

We’re looking at Slade Bay/Boot Reef first up, a reef break that’s fairly consistent, takes a SW optimum swell, and it’s fairly exposed. There’s a real sting in the water right now – the water temperature is 66°, which is a massive 8° warmer than normal for this time of year. That’s very unusual, practically tropical compared to what you’d expect.

Right now, the opening stretch is flat out grim. For Monday the 6th, we’ve got tiny 2ft windswell coming from the W with a short 5-second period, and the combined energy is weak at 37. The wind is cross-on and choppy – rubbish. That poor run continues right through to the end of the week. Tuesday the 7th offers a *touch* of hope with some 1ft WSW groundswell at 9 seconds in the morning, and clean cross-off wind, but it’s still only 37 energy. Even with a glassy morning on Wednesday the 8th (1.0ft), the wave comment says it flat out: “poor surf conditions.” Absolutely nothing worth paddling out for.

There’s then a long, dry gap with no meaningful surf recommendation at all from Monday the 6th right up until Friday the 17th. That’s nearly 12 days of junk. Some of those days have cross-off or glassy wind but the swell is just too weak.

Finally, we get a standout window. Friday the 17th morning – this is the pick of the whole outlook. At Slade Bay/Boot Reef, we see 5ft of WSW swell (8 seconds, moderate period) pumping in. The combined energy jumps right up to a strong 302, and best of all, the wind is glassy. That’s going to be clean, lined-up reef waves. It’s a bit punchy at 5ft – too big for beginners, but absolutely on for experienced surfers. Score is good for this spot but remember the reef can be a bit inconsistent, so take your time picking waves. This is the one to aim for.

Saturday the 18th morning gets a little bigger at 6ft, with WSW swell, but the wind is light cross-shore. The energy is a very strong 521. That’s a lot of push, and could wall up, but it’s more the Saturday afternoon that’s the sleeper: 6ft WSW swell with cross-off wind and 356 energy. That will be cleaner.

Sunday the 19th is a step down to 4ft, but with clean offshore wind from the NNW – that could be a fun, easy day for the intermediates. Then from Monday the 20th, we’re into bigger 7ft to 8ft WSW swells with heavy energy (over 600), but winds get tricky, mostly cross-onshore or cross-shore, making it lumpy. That kind of size only for experts, and the quality is questionable. Still, the Tuesday the 21st afternoon shows 7ft with a clean cross-off wind again – could be a late window for the confident crew.

Bottom line: save your energy for Friday the 17th morning. That’s the standout – glassy, solid 5ft groundswell, and finally some real power in the water. It’s been a long wait, but that one will be worth it.

Rusty.

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