The South Jetty Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s size it up in feet and miles per hour.

Honestly, mate, the next couple of weeks are looking pretty grim. We’ve got a long stretch of small, weak, and messy conditions ahead. The real standout, if you can even call it that, is a brief window around Tuesday 14th July, but even then it’s nothing to write home about. Let’s break it down.

We kick off with poor conditions right through Thursday 4th July to the end of the first week. The South Jetty is a beach/jetty setup, and the combined wave energy is pitiful, sitting between 18 and 62 (weak). Swell heights barely hit 1ft to 3ft, and the period is short – 5 to 9 seconds – so it’s weak, windswell. The wind is all over the place, mostly cross or cross-onshore, and there’s a cross-chop. Water temp is sitting at 75°, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year (anomaly of 5°). That’s notable, but won’t help the surf.

Wednesday 8th July sees a tiny bump in energy – combined energy hits 184 (moderate) on the morning with 4ft swell from the south, but the wind is cross and the period is only 7 seconds, so it’s still sloppy. No good.

We go through Thursday 9th to Saturday 11th with similar small stuff. A bit of clean cross-off wind on the Saturday morning (3ft, SSE, 8 secs, energy 101), but it’s inconsistent and still tiny. Crowds are possible here – it’s labelled as “sometimes” busy, but with waves this weak, there won’t be many takers.

Then there’s a gap of no real recommendations until the one and only standout of the whole period: Tuesday 14th July morning. The South Jetty shows 3ft from the east-southeast with an 8-second period, glassy conditions (wind from the ESE at 3 mph, so it’s absolutely still), and combined energy of 110 (moderate). This is the only time in the 16-day window that gets a “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions” comment. It’s small, but clean and rideable. The swell direction (ESE) is close to the optimum SE direction for the jetty, so it’ll wrap in alright. It’s only really for mellow longboard or funboard surfing – beginners might be okay with the size, but don’t expect much push.

After that, from Wednesday 15th July through Sunday 19th July, it’s back to tiny, weak, and choppy. A faint glimmer on Friday 17th July morning – 3ft from the south, 6 seconds, clean cross-off wind, but energy is only 69 (weak), so it’s gutless. The afternoons get messy again. By Saturday 18th, there’s moderate energy (130) with a 3ft south swell, but cross-wind and chop ruin it.

Overall, don’t hold your breath. The only session with any hope is that glassy Tuesday 14th July morning. Everything else is a miss.

Rusty.

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