Slade Bay/Boot Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what we’ve got around Slade Bay/Boot Reef. It’s a reef break here, fairly exposed to the swell, and it prefers a south-west direction. However, I gotta be straight with you – the whole 16-day window looks pretty grim for paddle surfing.

We start on the 30th of July with conditions that are just poor. Tiny, weak swell at 2 ft from the west, with a short period of 5 seconds. There's a moderate cross-shore wind making a chop. The water temperature is sitting at 69°, which is a whopping 8° warmer than normal – that's a really unusual anomaly for this spot.

This pattern of very small, weak swell and mostly cross or onshore winds just drags on. The combined energy of all swells is very weak, mostly staying in the teens, 20s, and 30s, with the highest being a still-moderate 97 on the 8th of August. The swell period often stays short, under 8 seconds, which means weak, crumbly waves if any. We get a few glassy afternoons – like on the 2nd of August and the 11th of August – but the swell is just too small (1 ft to 2 ft) and weak to make it worthwhile.

Now, there’s one day that pokes its head up. On the morning of the 9th of August, things get interesting. We’ve got a 5 ft swell from the WSW with a 7-second period. It's just over the 5 ft mark, so it might be a bit much for beginners. The combined swell energy hits 197 (moderate energy, getting close to strong). But the real winner here is the wind – it’s an offshore from the north at 9 mph. That means clean waves with no chop. The rating says "surfable waves but very ordinary conditions" which is about the best we see. It’s still not a classic day, but compared to the rest, that Sunday morning (9th August) is your only real chance to get wet. The afternoon drops off with a cross-offshore wind and less energy.

From the 10th of August onwards, it’s back to tiny, weak, and unexciting for the rest of the outlook. A few clean moments, but with swell barely reaching 2 ft.

So, to break it down: if you’re desperate for a surf, the morning of the 9th of August at Slade Bay/Boot Reef is your lone standout. Offshore wind and a bump in swell. Every other day is a write-off for any decent wave riding. Hang in there.

Rusty.

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