Wategos Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s break it down in feet and degrees for the local crew.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you—this isn’t exactly the kind of run that gets the stoke going early. We’ve got a pretty quiet stretch ahead, but there’s a serious payoff if you’re willing to wait. The next few days are flat or near-flat, and the wind is mostly howling offshore, which is clean but with no real swell to work with. It’s frustrating, but it won’t last forever.

From Sunday the 12th through to about Thursday the 17th, it’s pretty much a write-off. Waves are tiny, mostly under 2ft, and the wind is either too strong or just wrong. The water is sitting at 69°F, which is only about 0.7°F cooler than the long-term average for this time of year, so it’s not unusual. Just a bit of a lull.

Now, hold on to your board, because things flip hard from Saturday the 18th of July. Wategos (Byron Bay) starts to see a real pulse of energy. That Saturday morning, the swell jumps to 15ft from the SE, with a period of 10 seconds. The combined energy reading is massive—4170—that’s strong to very strong. This is not for the faint of heart. It’s a solid 15ft, so this is strictly expert territory. The wind is fresh offshore from the SSE, which will keep it clean, but it’s big and powerful. This trend continues into Sunday the 19th, with similar 15ft swell and even more energy (4978). The wind is cross-off on Sunday morning, still clean, but these are heavy, heavy waves. The period stretches to 11 seconds, a nice groundswell, but at a beach break like Wategos, that long period can make it break a bit straight. Still, for the experienced crew, this is a legit window.

Monday the 20th, the swell drops a touch to 10ft from the ESE, still with a 10-second period. The combined energy is still very strong (1999), and the wind is offshore and gentle. This is where the quality starts to get real good. The forecast says “excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers,” and that’s spot on. It’s still big, over 8ft, so keep it for the experts.

Then Tuesday the 21st, the swell eases to 7ft from the ESE, period at 11 seconds. The wind is light cross-off, clean. This is more manageable for strong intermediates, and the energy is still solid (1100). It’s a good day.

But the standout—the one that gets my heart racing—is Wednesday the 22nd of July. We’ve got a 5ft swell from the east, with a very long period of 12 seconds. The combined energy is 1459, still strong. And the wind? Glassy. Zero. A dead calm morning. That’s about as good as it gets for a point break like Wategos. The swell direction (E) is not the optimum (NE), but the quality of the swell—long period, groundswell, with glassy conditions—makes this the pick of the whole forecast. It’s clean, lined up, and the paddling out will be a dream with those long gaps between sets. Crowds are listed as “always” here, so expect company, but with conditions this good, it’s worth it.

After that, things taper off a bit. Thursday the 23rd and Friday the 24th see the swell dropping back to 3ft to 4ft, with onshore or cross-on winds, so it’s not the same quality. By Saturday the 25th, there’s a 4ft SE swell (12-second period, 634 energy), but the wind is cross, so it’s a bit messy. Sunday the 26th has a 5ft SE swell with cross-off wind, clean but nothing special.

Monday the 27th, the very last day, brings a 5ft swell from the north, but with a short period of 6 seconds. That’s windswell, and it’s not going to have the same push. The wind is cross-off, so it’ll be clean, but the wave quality won’t be there.

So, bottom line: the first week is a dud. The second week, starting Saturday the 18th, is for the big-wave hunters. But if you’re after the best mix of size, quality, and perfection, set your alarm for Wednesday the 22nd of July. That Wednesday morning is the real deal—glassy, 5ft, long period, and clean as a whistle. Don’t sleep on it.

Rusty.

Read more