Thousand Steps Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, Rusty here, looking at the surf ahead. It's a bit of a mixed bag, to be honest. We've got a very consistent break on the cards, but the conditions aren't always going to play ball. The best of the action is right now, with a nice long-period groundswell, but it gets small and tricky after that, with a long stretch of pretty average conditions.

The water is a standout feature at the moment, coming in at a very unusual 72°, which is a full 6° warmer than normal for this time of year. That's a real treat, so soak it in while you can.

The main event is Thousand Steps, a reef break that's exposed to the SW. It's a super consistent spot, so even when it's small, there's usually something to ride.

The standout window is right now, Tuesday 28 July. The swell is a solid 4 ft from the SSW, with a very long period of 17 seconds. That's real groundswell energy, and it's packing a moderate punch (796 combined energy). The wind is a bit of a let-down though, being a cross-on 9 mph, which will make it a little choppy. Tuesday afternoon is a touch cleaner with a light cross-on breeze, but it's still not perfect. The waves will be better shaped because of that long period, but at a beach break, it might break a bit too straight. At a reef like this, it should be fine.

Wednesday 29 July morning drops to 3 ft from the SSW, still with a long 16-second period, but the cross-on wind is back. The afternoon sees the wind swing onshore, but the swell picks up a touch to 4 ft, with a decent energy jump (937). It's still marginal, but it's there.

Then things get quiet. From Thursday 30 July through to Monday 11 August, the swell drops significantly. Most days have waves under 2 ft, and the energy goes from moderate (664) all the way down to weak (91). The wind is mostly light and onshore or cross-onshore, but the surf is just too small and weak to get excited about. There's a long, flat stretch here.

We do see a pulse of long-period energy on Friday 7 August, with 1 ft from the SSW at 19 seconds, but the energy is still very low (218). It's a tease, but it's not enough to recommend.

The real pick of the week is Tuesday 28 July. It's not perfect, but it's the biggest and most powerful swell we see. If you're an intermediate surfer, that's your window. The rest of the run is a write-off for decent waves.

Rusty.

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