The Wedge Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Hey folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it for The Wedge.

Alright, looking at the next 16 days, it’s a real mixed bag. We’ve got a long stretch of pretty ordinary, even poor, conditions to start. The best surf is going to show up way down the line, around the 18th of July, when a bit more size and energy rolls in. For now, you’ll have to be patient.

The first half of the forecast is a grind. From Thursday the 9th through to the 16th of July, it’s mostly small and messy. We’re looking at waves around 1 ft to 3 ft, mostly from the SSW, with a frustrating onshore wind that’s ruining any chance of a clean face. The combined energy is weak, sitting between 134 and 477 during that whole period. The water temp is about average for the time of year, so nothing unusual there. Honestly, there’s not much to get excited about; the wind is just not cooperating.

We do see a small window on the morning of Wednesday the 15th of July. The wind goes glassy, which is a major positive, and the swell is 2 ft from the west with a period of 10 seconds. It’s a tiny wave, but if you’re desperate for a slide, it might be the most pleasant part of this dry spell. The energy is only 242, so don’t expect much push.

Now, the real event is shaping up for the weekend of the 18th and 19th of July. On Saturday the 18th, the swell picks up to 4 ft in the morning, jumping to 5 ft in the afternoon, both from the south with a 16-second period. That’s proper groundswell, and the combined energy surges to 1218 in the morning and a whopping 2080 in the afternoon. That’s strong wave energy. The wind is light cross-shore, which is workable. This is the standout period. The 5 ft afternoon swell is getting into the “too big for beginners” territory, but for the experienced crew, it’s going to be game on. The swell direction (S) is a good match for the optimum (SSW), so the Wedge’s unique shape should be firing. The crowds are often, so expect a lineup.

Sunday the 19th of July still has some size, with 6 ft in the morning from the south, but the wind goes cross-onshore and the quality drops off. The energy is still strong at 1024, but it’s not as clean. The afternoon on Sunday sees the swell drop and the onshore wind ruining it again.

After that, it’s back to small, onshore slop through the rest of the week. The 23rd and 24th of July show a slight uptick in size to 4 ft and 4 ft, but it’s still cross-onshore and marginal. Nothing to write home about.

So, the call is clear: wait for Saturday the 18th of July. That afternoon session is the best on offer by a long shot. The rest of the time is a hard pass.

Rusty.

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