Tarpits Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here, and I’ve got to be straight with you – the next couple of weeks at Tarpits are looking pretty grim. We’re staring down a long, flat stretch with barely a ripple worth paddling for. The first real chance of anything rideable won’t show up until the morning of Sunday the 19th of July, and even then it’s just a marginal call. Before that, from Wednesday the 15th of July through to Saturday the 18th, we’re looking at tiny swell heights around 1.0ft to 3ft, weak wave energy (between 69 and 160), and a whole lot of “poor surf conditions” stamped all over the forecast. The wind is mostly light and onshore or cross-onshore, which doesn’t help, but there’s not enough swell to care about anyway.

The water temperature is sitting at 65°F, which is about a touch warmer than normal for this time of year – a small comfort if you’re just floating around.

Now, Sunday the 19th of July morning, we finally see a little bump. Swell height climbs to 2ft out of the southwest, with a very long period of 17 seconds – that’s proper groundswell energy. The combined energy jumps to 300 (moderate), and we’ve got light offshore winds from the SSW, which will keep the surface clean. It’s a beginner-friendly spot, and the break is a beach and reef setup, so those long period swells should wrap in nicely here. But the crowds can be a problem – they’re sometimes around, so expect company. The downside? The forecast still calls it “marginal,” so don’t get your hopes up for anything epic. After that, the following days – Monday the 20th through Tuesday the 22nd of July – keep offering small 1ft to 2ft SSW swell with light winds, but the quality remains poor or marginal. The energy fluctuates from 181 to 283, so there’s some push, but the waves just aren’t shaping up.

The best bet in the whole 16-day window is actually the morning of Wednesday the 22nd of July. Swell is 2ft from the SSW, with a period of 15 seconds, combined energy of 229, and light offshore wind from the SW. It’s clean, the water’s calm, and it’s about as good as it gets – which isn’t saying much, but for a beginner or someone just wanting to get wet, it’s something. The crowds might be around, though, so be prepared.

From Thursday the 23rd of July into the following week, the swell picks up a touch – 3ft to 3ft from the south, and the energy gets strong, hitting 598 on the afternoon of the 24th of July. That’s a decent amount of power, but the wind turns cross-onshore or cross-shore, and the surf quality is still rated poor or marginal. The period is shorter, around 13 to 14 seconds, so it’s more of a windswell mix. The final days from the 26th of July drop back to 2ft to 3ft, with energy in the 300 range, but the same story – poor conditions and not worth a special trip.

Look, there’s no standout in this period. The best you’ll get is a tiny, clean, long-period swell on the 19th and 22nd of July mornings, but it’s marginal. If you’re a beginner, those are your windows. For everyone else, it’s a flat spell, and the forecasts can change, but right now it’s a write-off.

Rusty.

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