The Maze (Tiree) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let me take you through the coming weeks here at The Maze on Tiree. It’s been a bit of a rough start, but there’s a light at the end of the tunnel for those who can wait.

The wind has been hammering us from the southwest, and that westerly swell is getting chopped to bits. The water’s sitting at a pretty standard 55°F for this time of year, so nothing unusual there. The first week is a write-off for decent waves, with strong cross-onshore winds and messy conditions. The combined wave energy is moderate to strong on the 7th reaching 983, but it’s all just lumpy and poor. You’ll be battling a fresh to strong breeze for most of the early sessions, so don’t bother paddling out just yet.

There’s a real gap for any standout surf. It’s not until the 13th of July, Monday morning, that we see a slight improvement. A light cross-offshore breeze from the north-northeast cleans things up with a small 2ft west swell, but the energy is weak (102) and the waves are just ordinary. The 14th of July, Tuesday morning, is the first real window. A light NNE breeze gives us clean conditions again, with a 3ft west swell and a 10-second period. The combined energy is moderate (212), and the forecast says “expect good surf conditions.” This is the best of a quiet bunch early on, but it’s still small.

The one true standout, and I mean the one you’ll want to circle on your calendar, is Sunday the 19th of July. Sunday afternoon is looking absolute gold. We’ve got an offshore wind from the east at a light 6 mph, which will make the waves glassy and clean. The swell is a solid 8ft from the west with a 9-second period, but the combined energy is through the roof at 1921. That’s a lot of power. The report says this is “excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers,” and I’m not disagreeing. That size is only for the confident crew, and the offshore wind will make for some epic lines at The Maze. The morning of the same day also has a 10ft swell, but it’s cross-offshore and a bit more raw. The afternoon is the pick.

Following that, the 20th of July, Monday, sees the swell dropping back but still offering clean, fun-sized waves with a 5ft north-west swell and light winds. A nice little bonus if you’re still on the island.

So, to sum it up: the first week and a half are a bust. Hold out for the 14th for a clean little session, but the real prize is the 19th of July. That’s the one where the stars align for a proper session at The Maze.

Rusty.

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