Third Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get into it. This is Rusty, and I’m looking at the forecast for Third Reef.

To be straight with you, the next 16 days are a bit of a mixed bag. We’ve got a solid swell period lined up, but the wind is gonna be a headache for a lot of it. The best bets are going to be very specific windows, and you’ll need to be picky.

The main event is a long-period, 24-second groundswell arriving on Friday morning, July 24th. It’s a solid 2ft from the SSW, with moderate wave energy (642-1337). The problem is the wind is light but onshore or cross-onshore, which is gonna mess with the surface. The waves will be there, but they won’t be clean. The water temp is about average for the time of year.

The period stays long through the weekend, but the wind doesn’t play nice. Saturday morning, July 25th, we have a clean, clear sky and an onshore wind, so the 4ft SSW swell will be a bit bumpy. It’s a shame, because the energy is there (1302).

After that, from Monday, July 27th, through to the end of the month, it’s a write-off. The wind cranks up from the NW, smashing the wave faces. The swell is still present, around 4ft to 4.5ft, but the wind is just too strong and cross-onshore, making it messy and lumpy. The surf quality takes a dive.

Now, here’s the one standout. Look at Friday, July 31st, in the afternoon. The wind drops to a glassy 5 km/h from the WNW. The swell is 5.5ft from the NW, but the period is a super short 7 seconds. However, with the glassy conditions, the forecast is actually calling for “very good surf conditions”. This is your chance. The energy is moderate (500). It’s the only window in the first week and a half that’s going to be truly clean. The downside is that the short period means the waves might not have much push, but clean 5.5ft shorey is better than a messy 6ft one.

The second week starts rough. The first of August is a write-off with strong NW winds. The swell builds again, hitting 10ft on the morning of Monday, August 3rd, but again, the wind is on it. That kind of size (10ft) is expert-only territory, unless you’re a masochist. The wave energy is very strong (2006), but the conditions are poor.

The pattern continues through the second week. The wind is relentless from the NW and NNW, keeping the surf choppy and lumpy. The swell is mostly in the 6ft to 8ft range, but it’s just not usable. The only bright spot is the very end of the forecast, on Saturday morning, August 8th, where we get a light onshore wind from the WSW and a 3.5ft NW swell. It’s a long shot, but it’s the cleanest thing in that second week.

So, for the best on offer: Friday, July 31st, afternoon. It’s your only true glass-off window. The waves will be a clean 5.5ft from the NW. It’s not big, but it’s clean. If you can only get out once, that’s the time. The crowds are listed as “sometimes”, so you might have some company, but it’ll be worth it.

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