Tubes Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty. Let's talk about the surf outlook for Tubes.

Overall, we’ve got a solid run of swell on the way, starting this Sunday, the 5th of July, and it looks like we’ll be surfing right through to the 19th. There are no major gaps in the action, but the quality and conditions will change as we go. The water temp at Tubes is sitting at 63°, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year, so you might want an extra mm of rubber.

This Sunday afternoon the 5th kicks things off with a 4 ft swell coming from the ESE with a period of 11 seconds, and the wind is glassy. It’s clean right out of the gate, with moderate wave energy (901). It’s a good start.

The first standout window is Monday the 6th. Monday morning is looking beautiful – a clean 6 ft swell from the SW with a 12-second period, glassy wind, and the energy is building (1059). This is the kind of morning you set an alarm for. Monday afternoon, the swell pushes up to 6 ft, but the wind shifts cross-on and chops things up, so the morning is the call.

Tuesday the 7th holds good, solid 7 ft SW swell with that nice 12-second period and clean cross-off winds all day. That’s quality surf.

By Wednesday the 8th morning, the swell is up to 8 ft with a 13-second period. The wind is cross-off and clean, but the energy is ramping up hard (1800). The surf is getting serious.

The real heavy-hitter arrives Thursday the 9th. The swell jumps to 12 ft from the SW with a long 14-second period. The combined energy is massive (4145). This is proper, powerful groundswell. It’s big, heavy, and only for experienced surfers. This kind of long-period SW groundswell loves a reef and point setup like Tubes, so expect powerful, well-shaped lines, but with long lulls between sets. The wind stays clean with a cross-off, but at 12 ft, you better know what you’re doing.

Friday the 10th is a write-off for paddle surfing. The swell is still huge (12 ft) but the wind goes onshore and choppy. That’s more of a kite-surfing setup than anything else.

There’s a noticeable drop in quality after that big pulse. The swell settles down, but the winds get tricky. We get a day of clean surf again on Sunday the 12th, with a glassy 8 ft SE swell, but the period is short (8 seconds), so the shape won’t have that same grunt. It’ll be a bit weaker.

The next real standout to circle on your calendar is Saturday the 18th of July. After a period of mixed conditions, the afternoon brings a clean 10 ft swell from the SW with a moderate 10-second period, but the wind goes offshore and gentle. The energy is high (2247), conditions are clean, and the report calls it excellent for experienced surfers. This is the best looking day in the second week of the forecast, a true return to form.

Sunday the 19th still has size (8 ft) but the wind is onshore and messy, so not ideal.

So, the best bet is to be out early Monday the 6th morning for clean, building swell, or if you’re an experienced surfer after some real power, wait for Thursday the 9th or Saturday the 18th of July. Tubes is a consistent spot, but it doesn’t always line up this well.

Keep your eyes on the horizon.

Rusty.

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