Tamarama Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s have a look at the charts for the next couple of weeks. To be honest, the first week is a bit of a write-off. We’ve got a solid South swell pushing through, but the wind is just a mess. That northeast facing reef needs clean conditions, and we’re just not getting them.

We start off Wednesday the 15th with a 8ft south swell, but it’s being hammered by a 30 mph cross-onshore south wind. The water’s sitting at 63°, which is pretty normal for this time of year, but the surface is just lumpy and poor. That trend holds through to the weekend. We get a bit of a drop in swell size, but the wind stays on it. On Friday the 17th, the swell drops to 3ft, but the wind is straight onshore, and the wave energy is weak (121). It’s a write-off for a solid paddle.

The weekend of the 18th and 19th is still ugly. Saturday sees a weak 3ft east windswell with a fresh cross-onshore wind. Sunday the 19th is a little better with a 6ft long-period groundswell from the ENE (10 seconds), and the energy is picking up (776), but it’s still cross-onshore. It’s a marginal day at best. The wind backs off on Sunday afternoon to a light breeze, which is a small positive.

Finally, Monday the 20th is the first real standout. The morning is looking *clean*. A 5ft ENE groundswell (10 seconds) with a light 10 mph offshore wind from the WNW. The combined energy is solid at 606, and the conditions are described as clean. This is the best window of the first week. The wave energy is moderate, and with that offshore flow, it should be glassy and well-shaped on the reef. The only downside is that the swell direction is a bit east of the optimum, but it’s still a good, surfable day. The morning is the pick.

After that, Tuesday the 21st is still decent with a 5ft ENE swell and a clean offshore wind in the morning, but the energy drops a bit (433). The afternoon gets a little side-shore chop. By Wednesday the 22nd, the swell is dropping to 4ft, and the morning has a clean, cross-off wind, but it's getting smaller. Thursday the 23rd is a clean 3ft day with an offshore, but it’s weak.

Then we hit a gap. Friday the 24th through Saturday the 25th morning is just poor, with small, messy, onshore wind. The models are looking bleak.

But then things get interesting again. Saturday the 25th afternoon sees a new pulse of South swell come in, hitting 7ft. The wind is a light side-shore, so it’s not perfect, but the energy is moderate (684). Sunday the 26th holds that 7ft to 6ft south groundswell with a 10-11 second period, but the wind is still cross-onshore, so it’s a bit lumpy.

The real standout of the entire forecast is Monday the 27th. A 6ft south groundswell with a very long 12-second period. The combined energy is strong (919). The morning is showing a light 10 mph offshore wind from the WSW. This is a recipe for absolute perfection on the reef. Long period groundswells like this can be a bit straight at beach breaks, but on a reef like this, it’ll be a thing of beauty. Clean, powerful, and well-shaped. This is the one to circle on your calendar. After that, the wind turns onshore on the 28th, and the quality drops off again through the end of the month.

So, overall, the best call is Monday morning, July 20th for the first clean window, but the absolute standout is Monday morning, July 27th – that’s the one to get excited about. Just be aware that this is a long-range call, so it’s promising but not locked in yet.

Rusty.

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