Third Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming up for Third Reef.

Right off the bat, the next week and a half is a bit of a grind. There’s some decent sized swell but the wind is almost always onshore or cross-on, making it choppy and messy. The water is sitting at 54° today, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there in terms of temp.

The first real standout doesn’t show up until Thursday, July 16th. That afternoon, we’ve got a 6ft swell from the NW with a period of 9 seconds, and the wind goes glassy. That’s the kind of clean, smooth surface you dream about. The combined energy is pushing 1038, so there’s plenty of grunt behind it. This is a reef setup, so it’ll handle that size well, but at 6ft, it’s getting into the territory where it’s more for experienced surfers. The swell direction is NW, and the optimum direction for this spot is WNW, so it’s a solid match.

Friday, July 17th afternoon also looks clean with a 3ft swell from the WNW at a very long 17 seconds, and a light cross-off breeze. The energy is still strong at 822, and that long period will make for some well-shaped, powerful lines. Again, it’s a reef break, so that long period groundswell is going to focus nicely.

Then on Saturday, July 18th afternoon, we’ve got glassy conditions again, with a 3ft swell from the SW at 18 seconds. That’s classic clean, lined-up surf, and the energy is 870. Light winds, long period, tidy waves.

The best of the lot is probably Thursday, July 16th afternoon, combining the biggest swell of the period with glassy conditions. That’s the one to circle on the calendar. Sunday, July 19th afternoon also looks promising with a 5ft NW swell and glassy, calm wind, though the period is a shorter 9 seconds.

Crowds here are listed as “sometimes,” so you might have company, but it’s not a circus.

The first week and a half is mostly a write-off, with a lot of poor conditions and moderate energy. But from the 16th onward, there’s a run of clean, glassy windows that should fire, especially for the reef.

Rusty.

Read more