Stent Road Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, looking at the forecast for Stent Road. Let’s break it down.

First thing to know: Stent Road is a reef and point setup, so it’s got that structure to handle swell. The water temp is sitting at 58°F right now, which feels about normal for this time of year. The swell direction they’re asking for is SW, and that’s exactly what we’re getting for the most part.

We’ve got a bit of a slow start, but things kick off Tuesday morning, the 28th of July. That morning session is the standout early on. We’re looking at 5ft of clean WSW swell with a 12-second period, combined energy of 648 (moderate), and light ESE offshore wind at 3 mph. That’s gonna be glassy, lined up, and proper. This is the best on offer in the early part of the forecast. The water’s a bit chilly, but that’s the price for clean waves. Crowds are often an issue here, so expect some company.

From Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday, the wind shifts and gets a bit frustrating. Tuesday afternoon goes cross-shore with a light SSW breeze, and the swell drops to 5ft. Wednesday sees a stronger NNE wind, 12 mph, but it’s cross-offshore, so it’s not terrible. Swell hangs around 4ft, but the energy is moderate (392 to 597).

Thursday the 30th gets messy. Rain showers, NW wind swinging cross-on at 12 mph, and the swell jumps to 6ft with a long 14-second period. The energy spikes to 1095 (strong), but that onshore wind chops it up. By Thursday afternoon, the wind is cross at 19 mph, and it’s lumpy. Not worth paddling out.

Friday the 31st is a write-off for surfing. Strong onshore W wind at 22 mph, swell building to 10ft to 13ft, period dropping to 9-10 seconds. The energy is huge (2217 to 2872), but it’s a messy, blown-out beast. Honestly, with that wind and size, this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Now, Saturday the 1st of August is another big standout. The wind swings SE at 16 mph, cross-offshore, and we’ve got a solid 13ft WSW swell with a 14-second period in the morning. The combined energy is a massive 6925 (very strong). This is a serious, powerful groundswell – long period, so it’s going to bend around the point and reef really well. But at 13ft, this is only for experts. The wind is clean, so the shape should be there, but if you’re not comfortable in big, heavy water, stay on the beach. The afternoon drops to 12ft, still huge.

Sunday the 2nd takes a step back. Swell drops to 6ft, but the wind goes cross-onshore from the SSW, making it choppy. Not great.

Monday the 3rd of August morning is a real gem for the experienced crew. The wind goes dead calm – glassy, 0 mph. Swell is 5ft from the WSW, but the period is a very long 19 seconds. That’s groundswell with serious energy (1721), and on a reef-point setup, it’s going to be well-shaped, powerful, with long lulls between sets. If you’ve got the paddle fitness, this is a special session. The afternoon turns onshore and messy.

Into the second week, things are more tentative but still promising. Tuesday the 4th morning has clean 6ft swell with a 16-second period, light SE wind. Wednesday the 5th morning sees 8ft, 13-second swell, clean light SE wind. That’s a solid, powerful day for experienced surfers. Thursday the 6th morning is glassy again with 7ft, 12-second swell. After that, the wind picks up and the swell drops off through the 7th, 8th, and 9th, with periods of clean but smaller surf (3ft to 4ft) and strong winds.

The very end of the window, Wednesday the 12th of August, shows a bit of a pulse: 7ft, 15-second swell in the morning with light S wind, combined energy of 1631 (strong). That’s worth keeping an eye on, but it’s a long way out.

So, bottom line: If you’re an expert, Saturday the 1st of August is the big one – huge, clean, powerful. For the more moderate crew, Tuesday the 28th of July morning is your best bet, or Monday the 3rd of August morning if you can handle the long period and lulls. There are gaps of a couple of days here and there where the wind or size gets ugly, but overall, there’s plenty to work with.

Rusty.

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