Third Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s talk about Third Reef.

Looking at the next 16 days, we’ve got a whole lot of swell but the wind is mostly coming from the side and onshore, which is gonna chop things up. There’s a big dead patch with no real good surf, so don’t plan on anything great for the first week. The second half of the window is where it gets interesting.

The big swells hit around the weekend of August 7th through the 9th, but the wind is bad. Expect a lot of poor conditions with cross-onshore winds and moderate breezes. The swell gets up to 7ft on Sunday afternoon, but with that wind, it’s a battle. The combined energy is strong, hitting 889 (strong wave energy) on Sunday, but it’s not for paddle surfing.

The one that catches my eye is the afternoon of Wednesday, August 19th. The wind goes glassy, and that’s a huge win. We’ll have a 6ft swell from the NW with a 6-second period. That’s a short period wind swell, but with glassy conditions, it’s going to be a whole lot more fun than anything else. The combined energy is 622 (moderate wave energy), but the clean surface will make it rideable. This spot is fairly consistent, so expect a few friends out there.

Then, Thursday afternoon, August 20th, is the real standout. Again, glassy conditions with a 6ft swell from the NW, and the combined energy is a bit higher at 655 (moderate wave energy). The water temperature is 54°F, which is a bit colder than normal, so you’ll need a thick suit.

The rest of the run is just so-so. The swell direction is mostly from the NW, which is the best direction for this reef break, but the wind is usually cross-onshore. There are a few mornings with a light cross-shore or offshore wind, but the swell is smaller then. The swell period is often around 9 seconds, which is fine, but nothing special.

If you’ve got the patience, wait for the 19th and 20th. The early stuff is just not worth the paddle.

Rusty.

Read more