The Wharf Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the table for the next couple of weeks.

Straight up, I’m gonna be honest with you – the outlook is a tough one. The Wharf is the only game in town, and it’s a reef break that’s consistent and exposed, but we’re looking at a long, dry spell of poor conditions. For the first week, starting from Thursday the 9th of July, the wind is a real problem. It’s mostly cross-onshore and cross-shore, with a moderate breeze, making the surf choppy and lumpy. Swell heights are around 3ft to 5ft from the SW, with a long period of 15 to 17 seconds – that’s proper groundswell energy, but it’s being ruined by the wind. The combined energy is high, with readings of 1052 and 1156 on Thursday, which is strong wave energy, but it’s not clean.

The water is sitting at 82°F, which is bang on average for the time of year, so no surprises there.

The whole first week is a write-off for a decent paddle. Friday and Saturday see the wind get stronger, with gusts up to 16 mph, and the swell drops a little. Sunday and Monday are more of the same – messy and uninviting. You’ve got to get through a full seven days of this before anything changes.

Now, into the second week, from the 15th of July, things get a bit bigger, but it’s not good news. The wind turns onshore and gets strong – 19 to 25 mph from the SSE and ESE. The swell bumps up to 6ft to 7ft, and the period drops to just 8 seconds. That’s short-period, wind-affected slop. The combined energy is moderate, around 585 to 978, but with the wind screaming onshore, it’s just a mess. For the experienced lads, the bigger days on the 16th and 18th of July might have some power, but with that wind and the short period, it’s going to be a battle. Honestly, with that setup – a beach and reef break with strong onshore wind – it’s looking more like a kite-surfing day than a paddle-surfing one.

The only standout, if you can call it that, is possibly the morning of the 19th of July. The swell drops to 4ft, but the period lengthens back to 14 seconds, and the wind is still onshore from the ESE at 22 mph. The combined energy is strong at 1130, but it’s still blown out. It’s a long shot, and it’s a week and a half away, so take it with a pinch of salt.

In short, there’s nothing to get excited about. The whole 16-day window is a blank run of poor surf conditions. The forecast can change, but as it stands, you’re better off staying home and waxing the board for another day.

Rusty.

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