Tamarama Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for Tamarama Reef. Gotta be straight with you – for a good stretch here, it’s looking pretty quiet. The first week and a half is mostly small, weak, and uninspiring. We’ve got a long gap of days with barely a ripple worth getting out of bed for, from now right through to the 12th of August. The combined energy is in the low double or triple digits for days – that’s barely a pulse – with most days scoring a big fat zero. You’re looking at tiny 0.7ft to 3ft waves from the SSE, E, or S, with periods mostly under 10 seconds. The wind is often cross-offshore, which would be nice if there was any swell to work with, but there isn’t. Thursday the 8th of August morning might give you a tiny 2ft wave at 8 seconds from the S, and the energy is only 103, but the conditions are described as surfable but very ordinary. It’s a no-go for any real fun.

Then, things take a wild turn. On Thursday the 13th of August morning, a big pulse of swell arrives. We’re talking a solid 12ft from the S with a 10-second period. The combined energy skyrockets to 2443 – that is strong to very strong energy. The wind is a cross-shore SSW breeze at 15 mph, and the comments say the wind and tide are favourable. But here’s the rub: at over 8ft, this is expert territory only. This reef break is inconsistent and for advanced surfers, and with that size, it will be a beast. Thursday afternoon, the wind swings cross-onshore from the S, and it turns into a washing machine.

The best bet on offer, and the only true standout, is the Friday the 14th of August morning session. The swell drops to a still-chunky 8ft from the SSE with a 9-second period. The combined energy is a solid 1158 – still strong. The wind is a gentle cross-shore breeze from the SW at 9 mph. The report calls it marginal, and it scores a 2, but compared to everything else, this is your window. The swell direction from the SSE is right in the optimum zone for this break. It’s going to be big and powerful, so only for the experienced crew. The water temp is about 63°, which is a touch cooler than the average for this time of year, so don’t forget the rubber.

After that, it drops back to messy, onshore conditions with poor surf through the rest of the forecast. There’s a bit of a pulse on the 17th with a 3ft to 4ft ESE swell at a very long 12-second period, but the wind is a fresh cross-onshore from the S, making it lumpy and choppy. Not great. The 18th and 19th have similar small, messy waves.

So to wrap it up: don’t bother for the first week and a half. The real action is on the 13th for experts only, and the best chance for a semi-decent session is the morning of Friday the 14th of August at Tamarama Reef.

Rusty.

Read more