The Island Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. This is the only game in town for the next couple of weeks, so let's get into it.

The forecast opens with a whole lotta nothing. The first few days are a write-off with onshore winds hammering a solid, but messy, southwest swell. The water’s sitting at 60°, which is about average for this time of year – nothing to write home about on the thermometer front.

Things finally take a turn on Wednesday, July 15th. That morning, the wind swings offshore from the ENE, and the swell settles to a 6ft SW groundswell with a 15-second period. That's good energy coming through (1363). It’s still a reef break and this is only for experienced surfers, but it’s glassy and clean. By the afternoon, it goes totally glassy with a 5ft SW swell. Clean conditions.

Thursday, July 16th keeps the quality up, but the swell drops off a bit. Morning has a clean 4ft SW swell, and the afternoon sees it bump to 5ft but with a very long 17-second period. That kind of period gives you heaps of push and shape, but at a reef, it might be a bit too straight – still a solid option for the crew who know the lineup.

The end of the first week into the second is a slow fade. Friday the 17th is marginal with smaller swell, and by Saturday the 18th the wind goes nasty cross-shore and the energy drops right off (275). That’s a full weekend lost to lumpy, choppy conditions.

There’s a glimmer on Tuesday, July 21st. Morning brings a clean 5ft SW with offshore ENE winds. The swell has a bit of life left in it (838), and it's clean. That afternoon, the wind goes cross-offshore and it stays tidy, though the swell slips to 4ft. It’s a nice window before the next blow.

That blow arrives Wednesday, July 22nd. Strong winds out of the north and a messy 6ft cross-shore swell (780). Not good. That sets the tone for a long, run of poor conditions all the way through the end of the 16-day window. Swells get bigger again on the 24th and 25th, but they are hammered by onshore or cross-onshore winds every time. Too big for comfort anyway (over 8ft) and blown out. The final days are a quiet fizzle of small, wind-affected leftovers.

The standout is Wednesday, July 15th – clean, offshore, and solid period. That's your morning session. The only other real shout is the Tuesday, July 21st window for a quieter, cleaner paddle.

Overall, it’s a one-hit-wonder kind of forecast. A couple of good days in there for the experienced surfer, but a whole lot of waiting in between.

Rusty.

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