38 Line Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, and I’ve been staring at the charts for 38 Line. Let’s be straight with you – this stretch isn’t looking like a classic run. We’ve got a long, quiet spell ahead, so don’t rush.

We’re kicking off from Sunday, July 26th, but honestly, the first week is a write-off. The swell is tiny, mostly under 2ft, coming from the NNE or NE, with a short period of 7 seconds. The combined energy is weak, in the range of 36 to 56, and the wind is a messy cross-shore. The water temp is about average for this time of year.

Monday, July 27th, gives us a tiny moment. The morning goes glassy, with a 3ft NE swell at 7 seconds. The combined energy is still weak at 59. The report says "surfable waves but very ordinary conditions," which is about as generous as it gets. It’s a small, short-period wave, so don’t expect any push. It’s a maybe for a longboard float, but that’s it.

After that, we drop into a real dry spell. From Tuesday, July 28th, right through to Saturday, August 8th, it’s a ghost town. The swell disappears, the combined energy drops to single digits, and we see a lot of zeros. We’re looking at about 12 days of flat to near-flat conditions. The wind is all over the place, but it doesn’t matter because there’s nothing to ride.

Then, finally, we get a flicker of life. On Sunday, August 9th, the morning shows a 4ft ENE swell, with a period of 7 seconds and a combined energy of 142 (moderate wave energy). The wind is a clean cross-offshore from the NNW. The report calls it "surfable waves but very ordinary conditions." It’s still a short-period swell, so it’ll be a bit crumbly, but at least it’s rideable. The afternoon gets messy again with a cross-onshore breeze.

The standout, if you can call it that, is Monday, August 10th. The morning brings a 6ft ENE swell, a period of 8 seconds, and a combined energy of 453 (strong wave energy). The wind goes glassy, dead calm. This is the only day in the whole 16-day window that gets a "expect good surf conditions" note. At 6ft, it’s a solid intermediate wave. The period is short though, so it’ll be a bit sectiony and won’t have that groundswell punch. It’s a beach break, so with that short period, look for a bank that will hold the shape.

So, if you’re itching to get wet, wait for Sunday, August 9th, for a small, clean one, but the real, only proper call is Monday, August 10th. It’s a blip of promise in a long, flat forecast. The 38 Line is exposed to the east, and that’s the only window we’ve got. Don’t bother before that.

Rusty.

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