Tennis Courts Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get straight into it. The next 16 days are a bit of a mixed bag. We’ve got a long stretch of onshore wind and messy, short-period swell, but there’s a glimmer of something much better if you’re willing to wait.

The forecast kicks off on Wednesday, 8th July, but honestly, don’t get too excited. The only spot in the frame is Tennis Courts – an advanced reef break. Through the first week and a half, the trade winds are hammering in from the ENE at 25 mph, a stiff cross-off breeze that’s going to make conditions pretty average. The swell is coming from the same direction – ENE – with a short, weak period of just 7 to 8 seconds. That’s windswell, not groundswell, so the waves will be a bit lumpy and lack punch. The size hovers around 6 ft to 8 ft, but the combined energy is mostly moderate, reading between 400 and 800 (weak to moderate energy). It’s paddleable, but it’s not pretty. The water temperature is sitting at 80°, which is about normal for this time of year, so no surprises there.

Things get a little more interesting for the weekend of the 18th and 19th July. On Saturday the 18th, the swell pushes up a notch. The afternoon sees a solid 10 ft of ENE swell at 9 seconds, with the combined energy jumping to a strong 1511. That’s a lot of juice, but the wind is still a cross-off from the ENE at 25 mph. At 10 ft, this is strictly for advanced crew only – it’s going to be a beatdown. The Sunday following is similar, with 8 ft waves, but still messy.

Then, hold onto your board, because the real highlight shows up on Monday 21st July. The swell swings around to the east, and the period jumps to a glorious 18 seconds. That’s pure, long-period groundswell. The height drops to 3 ft, but the energy readings are still strong (around 1012 on Tuesday afternoon). This is where Tennis Courts will shine. A long-interval groundswell from the east, with a moderate 16 mph NE wind, makes for a much cleaner, more lined-up wave. The break is a reef, so it will handle this long-period energy beautifully. The combined energy is moderate to strong, and the quality is there. This is the standout window. The 22nd also has some nice 4 ft, 15-second E swell, but the wind picks up a bit again.

The last few days of the month (23rd, 24th) drop back down to weak, poor conditions.

So, to sum it up: the first two weeks are a write-off for clean, quality surf. The best bet is the period from the 21st to the 22nd of July. That’s your window for a proper, long-period groundswell at Tennis Courts. It’s a reef break that’s fairly consistent, but crowds are possible, so get in early. The 18th weekend is big and powerful, but only for the hardcore, as the wind won’t be doing you any favours.

Stay keen, and keep an eye on that 21st.

Rusty.

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