The Island Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty. Let's get into it.

The first bit of the week is a bit of a write-off, but we’ve got something cooking toward the end of the month. We’re looking at The Island for this whole forecast, a solid reef break that’s exposed to the swell from the southwest. The water temp is sitting at 60°, which is pretty much spot on for this time of year, so don’t stress about a wetsuit just yet.

The surf kicks off on Friday, July 24th in the afternoon, but honestly, it’s a bit of a mess. We’ve got a 6ft swell from the southwest, but the cross-shore wind is chopping it up, making it marginal. The energy is there though, with a reading of 1211, so it’s not for lack of power. The next few days are straight up disappointing. Saturday and Sunday are mostly blown out, with strong onshore winds making a mess of things. There’s a brief moment on Sunday morning with clean conditions and a 4ft swell, but it’s small and short-lived. Monday is a total washout with strong, messy winds.

The patch of poor conditions stretches right through to the end of July. We’re looking at a solid 5-day gap of no good surf until we get to Wednesday, July 29th. That’s the real standout. Wednesday morning, the wind goes light and cross-offshore, and the swell jumps up to 7ft from the southwest with a long 15-second period. The energy is pumping at 2008, which is a solid reading. The comment says "excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers," and that’s because 7ft at a reef break like this is serious business. This is for the crew who know what they’re doing. The clean conditions and that long-period groundswell will make for some properly shaped waves, but the sets will be a bit more spaced out.

Thursday the 30th and Friday the 31st are still worth a look. Thursday morning is clean with a 5ft SW swell, and Friday is a real gem. Friday afternoon we get glassy conditions, a 3ft swell, but it’s packing a 19-second period—that’s a very long period groundswell. The energy is still high at 948. This is the kind of day where a longboard or a fish comes out, and the reef will be working its magic.

The first week of August is a mixed bag. Saturday the 1st is clean but small, and Sunday the 2nd brings a bigger pulse of 6ft with a 17-second period, giving a massive energy reading of 1995. The wind is cross-offshore, so it’s clean, but the tidal conditions might be a factor, so it’s a bit of a gamble. Monday and Tuesday the 3rd and 4th turn ugly again with strong winds, so we skip those.

The action picks up again on Wednesday, August 5th. The afternoon sees a 7ft swell from the WSW, but the wind is onshore, so it’s not as clean. The energy is there at 1792, but it’s a battle. Thursday, August 6th is a big one for the experts. The morning swell pumps to 8ft from the WSW with a 15-second period, and the energy is a massive 4159. The wind is cross-shore, so it’s got some chop, but the power is undeniable. The afternoon gets even bigger, hitting 8ft with a 20-second period and an energy reading of 6107. That is a serious, heavy groundswell, but the wind turns cross-onshore and choppy, so it’s only for the hardened local crew.

Friday the 7th is a complete no-go, with gale-force winds and big, messy swell. It’s a wrap after that.

The best of the best? Lock in Wednesday morning, July 29th for the biggest, cleanest swell of the first window. And if you want a clean, glassy, long-period day, Friday afternoon, July 31st is your ticket. The big stuff on August 6th is there for the experts, but the wind is a problem.

Rusty.

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