Turtles Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, let’s talk about what’s on offer for Turtles over the next couple of weeks.

Right now, we’re looking at a run of tricky conditions. The forecast starts with a bit of motion on the Thursday afternoon, 30th July – a 5ft SW swell at 16 seconds, but the wind is a cross-on from the SW at 15 km/h, leaving it a bit choppy. The combined energy is moderate (1007). Not one to get excited about.

Friday morning, 31st July, looks a bit better. The swell drops a touch to 4ft, still from the SW, but the wind has shifted to a cross-off from the SSE at 20 km/h, cleaning things up nicely. The combined energy has jumped to 1235, so there’s more push. It’s a solid option for a Friday session, but the overall score still says it’s marginal. Afternoon on Friday gets ugly with a strong onshore.

Saturday morning, 1st August, brings a bigger 7ft WSW swell, with a period of 16 seconds and a clean cross-off wind from the SE at 30 km/h. The combined energy is strong (2102). This is a proper window – the swell is pushing into the 7ft range, so it’s getting into expert territory, but the wind is clean. It’s a standout for the first week.

The rest of the first week is a bit of a mixed bag. Sunday morning, 2nd August, offers a 6ft SW swell with a clean cross-off wind from the ENE at 15 km/h, and the combined energy is moderate (1388). It’s a decent session, but not the best. Monday through to Thursday morning, 6th August, sees the swell hang around 5ft to 8ft, but the winds are often cross or onshore, messing with the quality. The water temperature is currently 73°, which is about average for the time of year.

Now, the real standout for the brave is Monday morning, 10th August. The swell is a solid 7ft from the SW at 15 seconds, combined energy is strong (2229), and – here’s the kicker – the wind is offshore from the ESE at 15 km/h. The description says “excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers.” That’s the one to circle on the calendar. A 7ft groundswell at a reef break like Turtles with offshore wind is going to be firing. Just know that at this size, it’s not for beginners, and it’s a fairly consistent break that can get crowded, so expect some company.

Moving into the second week, the swell keeps coming. Thursday morning, 13th August, sees an 12ft WSW swell at 17 seconds, with a clean cross-off wind from the SE at 25 km/h. The combined energy is very strong (6256). This is massive, serious groundswell – only for experts. The periods are long, so the reef at Turtles will handle it well.

The absolute best of the whole forecast, if you can wait, is Friday morning, 14th August. A 10ft WSW swell, a very long period of 21 seconds, combined energy of 9320, and a clean cross-off wind from the SE at 30 km/h. The score for this session is the highest in the window. This is a very long-period groundswell, which will be extra clean and powerful on the reef. It’s a standout, but it’s a long way out – the forecast could shift, so keep an eye on it.

The afternoon of the 14th stays big at 12ft, but the wind goes cross, making it lumpy.

Overall, the first week’s best is Saturday morning, 1st August. The second week’s absolute fire is Friday morning, 14th August. Between those, there are plenty of solid sessions, but the wind is often the enemy.

There’s a gap of several days in the first week where the conditions are poor, mostly from the afternoon of Friday, 31st July, through to the afternoon of Monday, 3rd August, with only the Saturday morning being a real highlight.

Rusty.

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