The Peak Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, let’s talk about what’s on offer for *The Peak* over the next couple of weeks.

First off, the bad news: we’ve got a long, flat, and frustrating run of surf ahead. From Friday 10th July right through until the morning of Friday 24th July, the swell is practically a no-show. The water temp is sitting at a balmy 62°F which is 5°F warmer than usual for this time of year – that’s pretty notable, feels more like a summer bath than a proper winter swell. The wind will be light and sometimes clean during this stretch, but with wave heights barely cracking 1.0ft to 3ft, and combined swell energy stuck between 6 and 163 (mostly weak to moderate at best), there’s simply nothing to ride. The Peak is a reef break exposed to W swell, but we’re getting dribbles from the WNW with short, weak periods – it’s a total dust-off.

Then, just when you’re about to give up hope, Friday 24th July rolls around and the game changes. That morning, we see a clean 5ft W swell rolling in with a gentle offshore ESE breeze at 9 mph – the combined energy jumps to 360 (moderate energy), and the conditions are described as clean. By Friday afternoon, it gets serious: that same 5ft W swell picks up a very long period of 14 seconds (groundswell, proper energy) and the combined energy rockets to 1012 (very strong wave energy). With a gentle offshore SE breeze at 9 mph, this is excellent surf for experienced surfers. The only catch: this is a reef break, so that long-period W groundswell will wrap in nicely, but it’s not for beginners – at over 5ft, it’s already pushing it, and with that kind of period it’s best for those who know the lineup. For high-level surfers, this is the standout of the window. The crowd factor here is *sometimes*, so you’ll have company but it shouldn’t be a zoo.

Saturday 25th July keeps the run going with a 4ft W swell in the morning, SSE offshore wind at 16 mph, and combined energy of 329 (moderate to strong). Conditions are clean. The afternoon drops to 5ft W with a cross-off SSW breeze, still decent but more marginal with questionable tide. That Saturday is a solid follow-up, but the real magic is Friday afternoon.

So to sum it up: don’t even bother paddling out from July 10th through July 23rd – it’s a 14-day gap of nothing. Mark your calendar for Friday 24th July and Saturday 25th July. The Friday afternoon session at The Peak is the one to chase, with that long-period groundswell and glassy offshore wind. It’s a proper reward for the wait.

– Rusty

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