The Wharf Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming up for The Wharf.

To be straight with you, the next 16 days are a real struggle. There’s a long stretch of poor surf conditions with onshore winds and messy energy, so don’t get your hopes up for any clean, rideable waves for a while. The first real chance of anything half-decent doesn’t show up until Thursday the 6th of August, and even then, it’s more of a heavy-duty option for experienced surfers only.

The first few days from Friday the 24th of July right through to the end of the month are a write-off. Rain showers, thunderstorms, and moderate to fresh onshore winds from the SE and ESE, with swell hanging around 2ft to 5ft from the S to SSE. The combined energy is moderate (between 342 and 866), but with the wind state and poor conditions, it’s just not worth paddling out. The wind is mostly on or cross-on, and the water temp is about average for the time of year.

The first week of August stays pretty grim. From Saturday the 1st to Tuesday the 5th, you’re looking at fresh to strong breezes, mostly onshore, with swell rarely reaching 4ft and combined energy dropping to weak or moderate (232 to 1253). The surf quality is consistently poor. The swell on the 5th jumps up to 8ft from the SSE, but it’s coming with onshore and cross-onshore winds that make it choppy and lumpy. Not a paddle surfer’s friend.

Now, the one standout in this whole bleak outlook comes on Thursday the 6th of August. The afternoon session shows a solid 7ft swell from the S with a very long period of 16 seconds, and combined energy is strong at 2720. The wind turns light and gentle from the ESE, which is offshore for The Wharf, so the conditions could clean up nicely. This is a big groundswell with serious energy, and because it’s a reef break, that long period will shape up nicely. But this swell is over 8ft – it’s for experts only. Beginners should stay well clear. The morning of the 7th also has some size (8ft from the SE), but with cross-onshore winds and a shorter period, it’s going to be messier.

The standout is Thursday the 6th of August afternoon. That’s the one window where the stars align for a short while. Expect a powerful, long-period S swell, clean conditions, and a challenging but rewarding session for the experienced crew. Crowds are possible at The Wharf, so keep your eyes open.

Overall, it’s a long dry spell, then one big, clean, expert-only day. The rest is either onshore slop or too small. Keep checking back – forecasts can change, but this looks like a survival mission for now.

Rusty.

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