The Spit Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright mates, Rusty here. Let’s break down the next couple of weeks at The Spit. It’s a tough start – we’re looking at a big gap of nothing but junk before we get any real waves.

The first few days are a write-off. From Sunday the 19th through to Tuesday the 22nd, it’s all messy, wind-affected slop. Strong south-southeast winds are tearing up a decent 12ft swell from the ESE, with combined energy readings hitting 2443 – that’s a lot of power, but it’s all cross-shore and onshore. The water’s sitting at 70°, which is about average for this time of year, nothing out of the ordinary. Not worth paddling out for.

The first real chance pops up on Wednesday morning, the 22nd. The swell drops to a more manageable 5ft from the east, and the wind swings to a light SSW cross-offshore. The energy drops to 323 – still moderate – but the clean conditions mean you’ll find some fun little waves. It’s not a standout, but it’s surfable.

Thursday morning, the 23rd, offers another small window. The swell is only 3ft from the east, period short at 8 seconds, and combined energy is a weak 154. But the wind is glassy – dead calm – so it’ll look pretty. Again, nothing to get too excited about, but if you’re desperate for a paddle, it’s clean.

Then we hit another dry spell. From Friday the 24th through to Tuesday the 29th, the swell is tiny – mostly under 2ft – and the wind is usually onshore or cross-shore. There’s a brief moment on Monday the 27th with a light offshore from the WSW and a 2ft swell from the SE, but it’s too small to really count. The energy is a measly 63. Not worth getting wet for.

Now, here’s the one to mark on your calendar. Wednesday morning, the 29th of July. This is the standout. The swell picks up to 5ft out of the SSE, with a period of 10 seconds, and combined energy ramps up to 731 – moderate but solid. The wind is light offshore from the west, and the forecast is for “very good surf conditions.” The Spit is a river mouth, exposed to the east, and this SSE swell should wrap in nicely. The offshore wind will keep it clean. If you can only surf one day in this forecast, make it this morning. Keep in mind, the crowds here are listed as “often,” so expect some company.

After that, the week of the 30th through to the 3rd of August looks small again. Swells hover around 1ft to 2ft, with weak energy. There’s a glassy moment on Monday morning the 3rd with a 1ft SE groundswell – period up to 16 seconds – but it’s just too small to do much with. The energy is a weak 62. It’s a nice place to sit on your board, but you won’t be riding much.

So, in short: you’ve got to wait until the 22nd for anything surfable, but the real day to aim for is Wednesday the 29th of July for clean, head-high waves at The Spit. The rest is mostly flat or messy. Hang in there.

Rusty.

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