
Surf Forecasts:
The Island surf forecast from 20 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 24 Jul, 3AM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 15s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 23 Jul, 6AM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 15s period, SW swell with 2,055 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 20 Jul, 9PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 14s period with SW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for The Island this week:
The surf forecast for The Island over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Monday (Jul 20) at 9PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.4m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 15s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at The Island in the next 16 days are 2.2m 15s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Jul 23) at 6AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.3m 3s period and expected on Monday (Jul 27) at 9AM.
| Wave Type | Time (ACST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 9PM (Mon 20th Jul) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 3AM (Fri 24th Jul) | 6ft (1.9m) 15s |
| Most Powerful | 6AM (Thu 23rd Jul) | 7ft (2.2m) 15s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for The Island over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Hey folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about The Island. It’s a reef break that’s consistent and exposed to SW swell, so it catches almost everything that comes its way. But I gotta be straight with you – the first week is a bit of a grind. The water temp is sitting at 60°, which is about normal for this time of year, so nothing weird there.
The pattern starts off pretty bleak. Monday the 20th and Tuesday the 21st are a write-off – messy cross-shore winds, a bit of cross-chop, and the swell is just kinda there but not doing anything special. The combined energy is moderate (662 on Monday morning, dropping to 409 by Tuesday afternoon), but the wind’s never clean enough to make it worthwhile. Wednesday the 22nd is worse – stronger cross-onshore winds and choppy conditions, even though the swell bumps up a little. Thursday the 23rd sees a bigger pulse of SW swell hitting 7 ft with a 15-second period (moderate-to-strong energy, 1783-1955), but the wind is howling cross-shore, making it lumpy and uninviting. That’s a lot of power for nothing.
Friday the 24th is the first glimmer of hope. The swell drops to 6 ft and the wind goes super light – just a slight air from the SSW, giving us a light cross-shore with only small ripples. The combined energy is still strong (1228), and the 15-second period means proper groundswell. It’s not perfect, but it’s the cleanest we’ve seen. If you’re keen, Friday morning is your window. After that, Saturday the 25th and Sunday the 26th fade fast with onshore winds and dropping swell.
Now, the real standout comes on Thursday the 30th of July. That’s a week and a half out, so keep an eye on the charts, but it looks promising. We’ve got a solid 6 ft SW swell with a 16-second period – that’s a long-period groundswell that’ll wrap into the reef nicely. The wind is offshore from the E at 16 mph, keeping it clean. The combined energy is strong (1879), and the conditions are rated excellent for experienced surfers. This is the one to circle on your calendar. The Island is a reef break, so it handles that kind of long-period energy well, but remember, it’s an advanced wave – not for beginners. Crowds are sometimes a factor here, so expect some company if it’s firing.
Friday the 31st of July is also tidy – 4 ft SW swell, offshore wind from the E, and clean conditions. It’s smaller, but still a fun option for those who want a more manageable size. The combined energy drops to 622, but the wind is offshore all day. After that, the first week of August fades into small, weak surf with poor conditions, so the end of July is your best bet.
Overall, the first week is a struggle, but the last few days of July and into early August have a couple of gems. That Thursday the 30th is the standout – bigger swell, clean wind, and a proper reef setup. Don’t sleep on it.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Wed morning. Very mild (max 18°C on Mon night, min 12°C on Wed night). Winds increasing (light winds from the WNW on Tue afternoon, fresh winds from the S by Wed night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 13°C on Fri night, min 12°C on Thu morning). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the S on Thu afternoon, light winds from the SSW by Fri morning). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 13 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
640 | 869 | 733 | 543 | 405 | 314 | 656 | 694 | 1500 | 1760 | 1932 | 1610 | 1204 | 1108 | 886 | 618 | 600 | 430 | 349 | 263 | 315 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off |
High Tide | 5:55PM0.00m | 7:51PM0.00m | 10:07PM0.00m | 2:17AM0.00m | 3:48AM0.00m | ||||||||||||||||
Low Tide | 6:50AM-0.00m | 8:56AM-0.00m | 11:16AM-0.00m | 1:23PM-0.00m | 3:04PM-0.00m | 4:31PM-0.00m | |||||||||||||||
7:31 | — | — | 7:31 | — | — | 7:31 | — | — | 7:30 | — | — | 7:30 | — | — | 7:28 | — | — | 7:28 | — | — | |
— | 5:46 | — | — | 5:46 | — | — | 5:47 | — | — | 5:47 | — | — | 5:49 | — | — | 5:50 | — | — | 5:50 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 15 | 17 | 18 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 |
Feels °C | 10 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 10 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 11 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 14 | S 14 | — | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 13 |
640 | 869 | 733 | 543 | 405 | 314 | 404 | 4 | — | 1760 | 1932 | 1610 | 1204 | 1108 | 886 | 618 | 600 | 430 | 349 | 263 | 315 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 10 | — | S 15 | S 14 | S 14 | S 14 | — | — | — | — | — | SSE 16 | SSE 16 | SSE 16 | SSE 15 | SSE 14 | SSE 13 | S 13 | S 12 | SW 15 | SW 16 |
9 | — | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | 24 | 24 | 26 | 22 | 18 | 17 | 13 | 3 | 56 | 41 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 11 | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNW 4 | NW 5 | — | — | — | — | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SSE 15 | SSE 15 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NW 3 | — |
13 | 17 | — | — | — | — | 656 | 694 | 1500 | 23 | 23 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 24 | 24 | 24 | 13 | 24 | 412 | 495 | 897 | 897 | 1026 | 1028 | 89 | 5 | 154 | 154 | 24 | 1026 | 154 | 24 | 24 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Eyre Peninsula | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the The Island Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for The Island provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at The Island can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our The Island surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (The Island) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).
Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for The Island may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.
Are you planning a holiday in Eyre Peninsula? If you are looking for accommodation near The Island, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Eyre Peninsula, consider staying in Thevenard which is 111 km (69 miles) away.










