Third Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get straight into the outlook for Third Reef.

Right off the bat, I gotta be honest with you – the next week and a half is a bit of a write-off. We’re looking at a solid chunk of time from this Sunday morning, July 26th, all the way through to the 4th of August where the conditions are just not cooperating. The swell is there, but it’s getting murdered by a persistent cross-onshore wind that keeps the surface choppy and lumpy. The combined wave energy is actually moderate to strong (values between 971 and 1303), but it’s messy. The water temp is sitting at a very warm 61°F, which is 5°F above normal – that’s way warmer than usual for this time of year, so at least you won’t be freezing your bits off while you’re staring at the choppy mess.

The real standout here is a window that opens up much later. We’re talking about Wednesday afternoon, August 5th, into the following Sunday, August 9th. This is where things get interesting. The wind drops right out, going glassy or very light offshore, which is a massive positive for this exposed reef break. The best of the best is clearly Sunday, August 9th. You’ve got a clean 7ft to 8ft swell from the NW, with a solid period of 10 seconds, pushing a strong combined energy of 1192 to 1420. This is heavy, powerful groundswell that’s going to unload on the reef. This is for experienced surfers only – at over 8ft, it’s a big day. The water is still likely to be very warm, and the glassy conditions will make it a classic session. It’s a long way off, but it’s the one to circle on the calendar. The Saturday afternoon before it, August 8th, also looks clean with a smaller 3ft SSW swell to get your eye in.

Because the wind is cross-on for almost the entire period, the setup at Third Reef is more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing for most of the first two weeks. The only true standout is that Sunday, August 9th. Keep your fingers crossed that the long-range forecast holds.

Rusty.

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