Tongo Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, I’m Rusty. Let’s have a look at what’s coming up for Tongo Reef over the next couple of weeks.

Overall, we’ve got a persistent run of SW groundswell rolling in, with solid energy hanging around for a few days before it slowly fades. The water here is sitting at 79° – that’s much warmer than what you’d normally expect for this time of year, so you can leave the thick wetsuit at home. The optimum swell direction for this exposed reef is from the south, and these swells are coming in from the SSW, so they’re a good match.

The first session worth paddling out for kicks off on Saturday, July 4th in the afternoon. You’re looking at a clean 4ft swell from the SSW with a long 16-second period, so there’s proper groundswell in the water – plenty of energy behind it (combined energy of 1037). The wind is cross-off from the SSE at 12 mph, so it’s a bit on the breezy side but the wave face should stay workable. It’s a touch marginal for the tide, but there’s enough here for experienced surfers to have a fun arvo.

Come Sunday morning, July 5th – now we’re talking. This is your standout session of the early run. The swell dips just a fraction to 4ft from the SW, but the period stretches out to a very long 15 seconds, and the wind turns offshore from the SE at 12 mph. That’s clean, lined-up surf on the reef. The combined energy is pumping at 1193, and it’s marked as excellent for experienced surfers. The only catch? It might get a little crowded – crowds are sometimes an issue here. But if you can grab a peak to yourself, this is the morning to be in the water.

Sunday afternoon? Still clean with the same 4ft swell, period jumps to a whopping 20 seconds, energy up to 1476 – but the wind goes cross-off and the tide gets a bit finicky. Still good, just not as crisp as the morning.

Monday the 6th sees the swell push up to 6ft from the SSW with an 18-second period. That’s a solid groundswell with a huge 2165 energy reading on Monday morning, and 2075 in the afternoon. Winds are cross-off from the SE/SSE. This is getting into expert territory – 6ft on a reef with that much power is no joke for beginners. If you’ve got the skills, you’ll find some memorable waves.

Tuesday the 7th keeps the 5ft swell going from the SSW, period around 16 seconds, energy in the 1500s. Winds are cross-off with a gentle breeze in the morning. Still clean, still got punch, but the scores suggest it’s a notch below excellent. The reef will be handling it well.

Wednesday the 8th sees the swell back off to 4ft, period 15 seconds, energy dropping to around 979. Morning has a gentle cross-off breeze from the SSE, and conditions are clean. It’s good, but the energy has definitely eased.

From Thursday the 9th through the end of the first week and into the second, the trend is downward. Swell sizes hover between 3ft and 5ft through to Saturday the 18th, with periods mostly in the 12–16 second range. Wind stays cross-off from the S/SSE, so the reef stays clean, but the energy dips into the hundreds (568 to 1158) and the general feedback calls it marginal more often than not. There’s a little blip of hope around Tuesday the 14th – morning has a 4ft SSW swell, 14-second period, slight air, and the conditions look very clean. Still, it’s modest stuff.

Saturday the 18th and Sunday the 19th of July bring a bit of a revival. Swell builds back to 5ft on Saturday, then 6ft on Sunday morning from the S, period around 13 seconds, energy up to 1245. It’s clean with cross-off winds, but the period’s shorter – more of a windswell mix. That said, the size is back, and the reef should have some grunty waves for those willing to hunt.

In the second week, don’t expect the consistency of the opening days. The standout remains Sunday morning, July 5th – that offshore, long-period groundswell is the real deal. If you’re a punter who can handle a reef and a few others in the water, that’s your window.

Rusty.

Read more