The South Jetty Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’.

Honestly, the outlook for The South Jetty over the next 16 days is a tough one. There’s a big fat gap of nothing rideable at the start. From Friday 10 July right through to the morning of Saturday 18 July, it’s mostly poor surf conditions with tiny, weak waves and messy wind. The swell is tiny, barely 1 foot to 2 feet, with weak energy, and the wind is often cross or cross-on, making it hard to get a decent wave. That’s a solid week of just waiting.

The first real glimmer of something surfable shows up on the morning of Saturday 18 July. The South Jetty will see a little bump in swell to 3 feet coming from the south, with a period of 6 seconds. The wind is a light cross-off from the WSW, so it’ll be clean. The energy picks up, but it’s still just “surfable but very ordinary.” Not a standout, but it’s the best we’ve seen in over a week. The water temperature is about average for this time of year, nothing unusual.

The next morning, Sunday 19 July, the afternoon session looks better. A 3 foot SSE swell, period 8 seconds, with a light cross-off breeze from the north. The energy is decent, and it’s clean again. Not big, but it’s a chance to get wet without being blown off the board.

Later in the week, from Monday 21 July through to Wednesday 22 July, the swell builds a bit. The South Jetty gets 4 feet to 5 feet of south/southeast swell, with period around 7-8 seconds. That’s a moderate wave energy, meaning there’s some push. But the wind is mostly cross-on from the east, so it’ll be choppy. The late morning on Tuesday 21 July has 4 feet from the south, 8 seconds, but the cross-on wind will mess up the face. This is more of a kite-surfing setup than a clean paddle session.

The best call in the whole window? I’d point to the morning of Saturday 18 July. It’s not pumping, but it’s the first clean, surfable wave in ages. The South Jetty is a beach/jetty spot, so it’s exposed and can get a bit of a crowd sometimes. The swell is small, 3 feet from the south, and the light offshore winds will make it glassy. It’s the only true standout in a pretty bleak run.

If you’re a beginner, the swell never gets above 5 feet until the 21st, and even then it’s choppy. For experts, there’s nothing over 8 feet, so it’s mostly a small-wave board day.

Overall, it’s a long stretch of flat or poor conditions. The second week has a bit more energy but the wind spoils it. Keep your eye on Saturday 18th – that’s your best bet.

Rusty.

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