23 Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you – this stretch from 23 Beach isn’t looking like anything to write home about. The whole 16-day window is a total write-off for decent surf. There’s not a single standout session in the lot, and I mean that. The forecast is basically a long, frustrating gap with no real recommendations at all.

The pattern is a real bummer. We’re getting a persistent onshore or cross-onshore flow from the north and northeast, messing up just about every session. The swell is mostly short-period windswell from the NNW, with periods around 6 to 8 seconds, which means weak, crumbly, and choppy waves. The combined energy readings are mostly in the low-to-mid 100s and 200s (weak to moderate energy), but it’s all blown out by the wind.

Starting off, Friday July 24th is a total no-go. Small 4ft NNW swell with a short 6-second period, cross-on winds at 15-25 km/h, and the wave comment says it all – “poor surf conditions.” The water is a bit colder than normal at 71°, which is a bit of a shock for the time of year, but you won’t be in the water long enough to care.

That poor pattern just keeps going. Saturday and Sunday the 25th and 26th have a little more size, up to 5ft, but the period is still short (7-8 seconds) and the wind is a fresh 30 km/h cross-on. It’s lumpy, choppy, and not worth paddling out for. The combined energy hits around 200-240 (moderate), but it’s all messy.

The whole first week is a bust. Even the “marginal” days – like Monday July 27th morning with a 4ft swell and light cross-on wind, or Wednesday July 29th morning with a 3ft, 10-second swell – are spoiled by the poor conditions. The wind direction is barely ever offshore, and when it goes onshore, it’s game over.

The second week doesn’t get any better. By August 1st, we see a small shift in swell direction to WNW, with a slightly better 9-10 second period, but the wind is still cross-on or cross-shore from the north. The combined energy even hits 295 (moderate) on the Saturday afternoon, but it’s still “poor surf conditions.” The only thing that’s consistent is the disappointment.

The tail end of the window, around August 5th afternoon, shows a longer period swell of 12 seconds from the NW, with a combined energy of 347 (moderate). But it’s still a cross-on wind at 20 km/h, and the wave comment is “poor surf conditions.” That long period would be fun at a point break or reef, but at a beach break like 23 Beach, it’s just going to close out and be a mess.

Honestly, this is a blank run. If you’re a kite surfer, the strong cross-onshore winds and choppy conditions might be your thing, but for a paddle surfer, there’s nothing here. Forecasts can change, but right now, don’t hold your breath.

Rusty.

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