The South Jetty Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, I’m Rusty, and here’s how the surf’s looking for The South Jetty over the next 16 days.

Right, straight up, I’m not gonna sugarcoat it – the first bit of this outlook is a tough slog. We’ve got a real dry spell kicking off here. There’s no surf worth paddling out for from Tuesday, July 14 right through to the end of Saturday, July 18. That’s about five days of zilch. The swell is tiny – mostly around 1ft to 2ft – with a combined energy that’s barely registering (24 to 79). The wind is all over the shop, and the water temp is a very unusual 77°F, which is a whopping 4°F warmer than average for this time of year. Makes you feel like you’re in the tropics, but the waves just aren’t there.

The first real chance of a surf comes on Sunday, July 19, but it’s only just surfable. We’re looking at a 2ft swell from the SSE with a period of 7 to 8 seconds. The combined energy picks up a bit to 62-70, but it’s still weak. The wind is a clean cross-off from the west, so the surface will be tidy. The catch is that this spot (The South Jetty) is a beach/jetty setup, exposed to the SE swell, and the crowds are sometimes a problem. Honestly, it’s not a standout, but it’s the first thing that’s even close to worth a look.

By Monday, July 20, there’s a small bump. The morning looks best with a 3ft swell from the SSE, period of 8 seconds, and combined energy hitting 112 (moderate). The wind is glassy from the NE – that’s a major plus, so it’ll be clean. This is probably the best on offer in the first week. It’s not pumping, but you’ll get a few small, clean waves to yourself if you’re early. The afternoon turns onshore and choppy, so forget that.

The middle of the week gets a bit more interesting. On Tuesday, July 21, the afternoon shows a 5ft swell from the south, period of 7 seconds, and combined energy jumps to 315 (strong). That’s the biggest size we see in the whole outlook, but it comes with a cross-shore wind and a cross-chop, so the quality is poor. That’s a shame – it’s not clean enough to get excited about.

Wednesday, July 22, cleans up a bit. The morning has a 3ft swell from the SSE, period of 9 seconds, and combined energy of 154 (moderate). The wind is a cross-off from the NNW, so it’s clean. This is another decent option, but it’s still very ordinary. The swell direction matches the optimum SE direction, which is a plus.

The real standout, if you’ve got the patience, is the very end of the forecast. Look at Sunday, July 26. The afternoon has a 3ft swell from the SE, period of 8 seconds, combined energy of 100 (moderate), and glassy wind from the west. That’s clean, small, and fun. Then Monday, July 27, both morning and afternoon are glassy or clean with a 2ft to 3ft swell from the SE, and the combined energy hangs around 95-116. The water is still warm, and the wind is either glassy or light cross-off. These are the best conditions in the whole run – no crowds mentioned, but with conditions this clean, it’s a high-quality small-wave session. Keep in mind, for a beach/jetty break, the long gaps between sets from the 8-second period swell will make paddling out easy.

So, to sum it up for the entire 16 days: the first week is a write-off until Monday, July 20. The best surf is in the last few days, from July 26 to July 29, where you’ll find clean, glassy conditions and small, rideable waves. It’s not a big swell window, but it’s the only time the quality lines up. Hang tight, and check the forecasts again – things can change.

Rusty.

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