The Spit Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here with the imperial take. Look, I’ll level with you – The Spit is in a drought for the next week and a half. Most of the time it’s flat, choppy, or just plain ugly. The only thing that gets my blood pumping is a proper groundswell that shows up around the 7th of August. That’s a long way off, so keep it in the back of your mind, but it’s got the kind of power that gets a river mouth singing.

Starting off, the 24th of July is a dead loss. Friday morning we’ve got a weak 3ft easterly swell with a short 8-second period and a cross-breeze, and the energy is a measly 90 – that’s barely a ripple. Friday afternoon isn’t any better, with a messy 4ft south-east swell, a 6-second period, and a fresh cross-onshore making it lumpy. The 25th and 26th are similar: tiny, weak swells around 1ft to 3ft, mostly cross-shore winds, and scores that are all zero. The one bright spot? Sunday morning the 26th – the wind goes glassy, dead calm, and that 2ft easterly swell feels like a gift. The energy is only 62, so it’s weak, but with perfect conditions and a river mouth setup, it’s the only clean wave you’ll see for a while. The water is 69°, about normal for the time of year.

From the 27th of July through to the 1st of August, it’s a flat, choppy mess. Swells hover between 0.7ft and 3ft, periods are short, and the wind is a constant cross or cross-onshore. The energy stays in the weak range (28 to 95). It’s a real desert. The 2nd of August afternoon sees a spike in size to 6ft from the SSE, but the wind is still cross and the energy jumps to 497 (moderate). Still, the wave comment says “poor surf conditions,” so don’t get excited.

The 3rd of August through the 6th of August brings a proper swell window, but the wind is a killer. Swells are running 5ft to 8ft, mostly from the SE and ESE, with periods between 8 and 11 seconds. The energy is strong, hitting 500 to 841. But the wind is a fresh cross-shore or cross-onshore, making it lumpy and choppy. The waves are too big for beginners (over 5ft) and just messy for everyone else. The 6th of August morning is the only one that gets a “marginal” rating, with a 6ft ESE swell at 11 seconds, but still cross-shore wind.

Now, the standout. The 7th of August. Friday morning we’ve got a 6ft ESE swell with a very long period of 14 seconds – that’s proper groundswell energy. The combined energy is a massive 1336 (very strong). This is the kind of pulse that gets a point break or river mouth like The Spit working. The wind is still cross-shore from the S at 16 mph, so it won’t be perfect, but the size and power are real. The optimum swell direction for The Spit is east, and this is coming from the ESE, so it’s close – it’ll wrap in nicely. The period is 14 seconds, which is very long. For a river mouth, this is a dream setup for more experienced surfers. The 8th of August drops off to 4ft, and the energy falls to 409, with the wind turning cross-onshore again.

Bottom line: if you’re jonesing for a wave, Sunday morning the 26th of July is your only clean, glassy chance before the 7th of August. That 7th of August morning is the real deal – a powerful, long-period groundswell that’s worth waiting for, but it’s a long-range call so don’t bet the farm on it. Stay tuned.

Rusty.

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