South Stradbroke Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Righto, surfers, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the cards for the next couple of weeks.

It's a bit of a slow start, but there are a couple of windows that look alright. The first week or so is pretty quiet, with a few days of small, cleanish surf bookended by blown-out junk. The best bet is a Thursday morning a couple of weeks out, but we'll get to that.

The first real chance to get wet is Thursday, July 23rd on the morning session at South Stradbroke. It's a classic beginner-friendly sandbank, and that morning we've got a glassy, clean surface with the wind swinging offshore. The swell is a small 4ft out of the east, with a period of 8 seconds. The combined energy is weak at 295, so it's not going to be a power day, but it's clean and small enough for a learner to get a few. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

Saturday, July 25th morning is another one to keep an eye on. Same break, South Stradbroke, and we're back to glassy conditions with a light offshore wind. The swell is a bit smaller, 3ft from the east with an 8-second period, and the energy is weak at 211. It's a similar story to Thursday: clean, small, and good for a beginner to have some fun without any hassle. Crowds are possible here at times, but on a small morning like this, it should be pretty quiet.

Then we hit a real dry spell. From the 26th of July right through to the 5th of August, it’s mostly gutless, choppy, and onshore. There are a few moments of glassy conditions on the 31st of July and the 1st of August, but the swell is tiny, barely 1.0ft to 1ft with long periods up to 17 seconds. For a beach break like Straddie, that long period just makes it straight and crumbly, not really worth the paddle.

The one that stands out as the best of the outlook is Thursday, August 6th at South Stradbroke. We’ve got a clean, cross-offshore wind, and the swell jumps up to 4ft from the east-southeast with an 8-second period. The combined energy is moderate at 202, so there’s a bit more push than we’ve seen. This is a solid beginners' swell, clean and punchy for the bank. The water temp is still about average for the time of year.

So, the standout is definitely that Thursday morning on the 6th of August. It’s a bit of a wait, but it’s the best combination of size and clean conditions on offer. Everything else is either too small, too windy, or both.

Rusty.

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