The Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the cards for The Reef.

First up, I gotta be straight with you – the next week and a half is looking pretty average. We’ve got a long stretch of what I’d call “character-building” conditions. From Friday the 7th right through to the end of the 16-day window, it’s basically all poor surf. The wind is a constant issue, mostly coming from the north-northwest to north, which is the wrong direction for this spot. It’s producing a cross-shore or cross-onshore wind, and with that comes chop and bump. The combined swell energy is reading between 51 and 307 for the first week, so that’s weak to moderate energy, but it’s just not coming together with the clean conditions we need.

The first real standout for a clean wave doesn’t appear until late in the game. We’re looking at Monday the 17th of August when the swell jumps up. The combined energy hits 884 (moderate to strong), with a solid 8ft swell from the NNW. The period is 8 seconds, which is a short-period wind swell, but it’s got size. However, the wind is still cross-onshore, so it’s going to be rough and choppy. That’s a big, juicy wave but it’s really only for the experienced crew – anything over 8ft is expert territory, and with that wind, it’s going to be a battle.

The best chance for a decent session, and the one I’d lock in, is a bit earlier on the 14th of August, Friday morning. The swell is still coming from the WNW at 0.9m, which is about 3ft, with a period of 9 seconds and a combined energy of 271 (moderate). The wind is a cross-shore from the north at 12 mph, so it’s not perfect, but it’s the least bad of the bunch. The wave height is manageable for a lot of surfers, and the longer period for that day gives it a bit more push. The crowd factor is “often” at The Reef, so you might have some company, but it’s the best compromise we’ve got.

Don’t get your hopes up for the rest of it. The pattern is pretty grim all the way through, with poor surf conditions every single day. There’s no real hidden gem in the second week – the swell gets bigger but the wind stays messy. It’s one of those stretches where the setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing, to be honest.

So, my pick? The Friday morning of the 14th of August. Don’t expect a classic, but it’s the best we’re going to get.

Stay salty,
Rusty

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