The Heads Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s run it down for The Heads, in feet and miles per hour.

The next week and a bit is looking full-on with some serious size, but you’ll have to be smart about when you paddle out. The first few days are messy with cross-onshore crap, so don’t even bother on Wednesday. Thursday morning the 9th is still dodgy, but Thursday afternoon is where it goes off. The swell is a solid 10ft of SSW groundswell, and the wind drops to dead glass. That’s a rare combo. The wave energy is pumping hard (3034), and it’s strictly for the experienced crew – beginners stay on the beach. That glassy calm holds through Friday morning and all Friday afternoon, with the same 10ft sets and zero wind. That’s your first real standout: back-to-back sessions on Thursday afternoon and all day Friday, if you can handle the heavy water.

Saturday the 11th gets a bit more wind on it, shifting easterly, which puts a bit of a cross-chop on the face, but there’s still decent 8ft SSW swell hanging in. Sunday morning the 12th cleans right up. The size drops to about 5ft, the wind goes light cross-off, and the energy is moderate at 924. That’s a good day for intermediates to get a look.

Monday the 13th through Tuesday the 14th is flat and onshore. Not worth getting wet. Then Wednesday morning the 15th, you get a tiny 3ft ESE pulse with an offshore wind, which could be fun on a longboard.

Now, for the second week. Thursday July 16th – the swell jumps to a massive 11-12ft from the SW. That is too big for The Heads. The wind is favourable for a clean face, but the sheer volume of water moving (2347 energy) makes it expert-only. That huge swell continues into Friday the 17th, hitting 11-12ft again. Friday afternoon offers glassy conditions at The Heads, but again, only for the brave.

Things settle down nicely by Saturday July 18th. You’ve got 10ft SSW with glassy wind in the morning – excellent for experienced surfers (2783 energy). Then Sunday the 19th is the real gem for everyone else: 6ft SSW, dead calm, clean as glass, 1043 energy. That’s the pick of the second week for a good, solid session.

There’s also a notable blip on Wednesday July 22nd: a very long 15 second period SSW groundswell at 8ft. That’s proper ocean energy (2892), and with glassy conditions in the morning, it’s going to offer some beautifully shaped, powerful waves. The long period means the sets will be widely spaced, making the paddle-out easier, but the waves themselves will jack up fast. It’s a corker for the experienced crew.

Overall, you’ve got a blank run until Thursday afternoon, and then it’s on. The best on offer are those glassy 10ft days on the 9th and 10th, and then the clean 6ft Sunday on the 19th for a more relaxed session.

Rusty.

Read more