South Stradbroke Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks. Rusty here. Let’s break down what’s cooking for South Stradbroke. It’s a bit of a frustrating stretch, with one clear window to get out, and then a long dry spell.

The first real swell hits on Tuesday, July 21st, but it’s a no-go. Rain showers, a cross-on SE wind at 12 mph, and choppy conditions. The swell is a solid 7 ft from the ESE, with strong energy (1326), but it’s messy. Not worth the paddle.

Wednesday the 22nd is a little better. The morning has a 5 ft easterly swell with a light cross-shore, but it’s still rippled. The afternoon is similar, 4 ft from the east. Both sessions are marginal, but the energy is moderate (465 and 437). You could get wet, but it’s not the day.

Thursday the 23rd is the one. The morning is the standout. We’ve got a 4 ft easterly swell with an 8-second period, but the wind is glassy – 3 mph from the west. It’s clean as a whistle. The energy is moderate (295), and the forecast says “expect good surf conditions.” This is your best shot. The water temp is 69°, which is about average for this time of year, so no worries there.

After Thursday morning, it’s a slow fade. The afternoon gets a cross-on breeze, and by Friday the 24th, the wind is howling from the SSE at 15–19 mph, making a mess of the 3 ft to 4 ft swell. The energy drops to 102 and 245, but it’s lumpy and poor.

Saturday the 25th morning gives you a brief moment of glassy conditions again, with a west wind at 3 mph, but the swell is tiny at 2 ft from the SE. The period is long at 11 seconds, which is a groundswell, but it’s just too small. The energy is weak (185). The afternoon is clean but still small.

From Sunday the 26th right through the end of July, it’s flat and poor. The swell drops to 1 ft or less, the wind is often cross-on or cross-shore, and the energy is well under 100. It’s a long, quiet run.

The first few days of August don’t offer much. August 1st has a clean 2 ft ESE swell with a very long 16-second period in the morning, and the energy is moderate (237), but it’s still tiny. The wind is a cross-off from the south at 12 mph, so it’s clean, but you’d need a longboard. The afternoon gets a fresh cross-shore and turns lumpy. From the 2nd to the 5th, it’s all small, weak, and mostly poor.

So, to sum it up: if you’ve got one day to paddle, make it Thursday the 23rd of July, first light. The rest of the window is a struggle. It’s a tough stretch, but that’s the way it goes sometimes.

Rusty.

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