West Shore Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, let's talk about what's on offer for the West Shore Beach stretch.

This whole 16-day window is a bit of a mixed bag, but there’s a couple of sessions that are definitely worth paddling out for. The best of the lot look to be the first couple of mornings, then things get a bit quiet for a while before a potential late burst.

The kick-off is a proper standout. Tuesday morning, the 28th of July, will be the pick of the entire forecast. We’ve got a solid 5ft swell pumping in from the ESE with a long period of 13 seconds, giving it plenty of push and shape. The wind is a gentle offshore from the WSW, keeping the surface clean and lined up. Combined wave energy is sitting at 745 (moderate-strong), so there’s decent grunt behind it. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there. Perfect for the intermediate to experienced surfer – not too big for a beginner, but enough to get the blood pumping.

That same swell holds into Wednesday morning, the 29th of July, dropping a touch to 4ft but still with that long 13-second period. The wind is light and cross-offshore from the WNW, so the waves will still be holding a nice shape and staying clean. Think of this as a slight downgrade from Tuesday, but still a quality morning session. Combined energy at 514 (moderate).

By Thursday morning, the 30th, we’re dropping to 3ft and the energy is starting to fade to 288. Still clean, but the size is getting smaller. After that, it’s a long, drawn-out lull. From Friday the 31st of July right through to the 6th of August, the swell really drops out, with wave heights shrinking below 3ft and energy values falling into the double digits. Surf will be very marginal, and many sessions are straight-up poor. Friday and Saturday mornings offer some clean offshore conditions, but on waves barely a foot high, there’s not much to ride. We’re looking at a solid week of weak, small surf.

Come the 7th of August, we get a little flicker of life. Friday morning shows 3ft at 11 seconds from the SE with light, clean winds again and combined energy of 235 (moderate). It’s surfable, and it’s clean, but it’s far from the quality of that opening Tuesday.

The tail end of the forecast, on Wednesday the 12th of August, throws in a bit of a wildcard. Morning sees a new pulse of 4ft swell, but the period is a short, choppy 6 seconds from the ENE. The combined energy is 201 (moderate), but with that short period, the waves will be crumbly and weak. For a beginner, the size might be okay, but the quality won’t be there.

So, to sum it up: you’ve got two clear standouts, Tuesday 28th and Wednesday 29th of July, with the morning sessions being the time to go. After that, the wave period and energy drop off a cliff for about a week before a slight lift in early August. Keep an eye on that 12th of August morning – could be a surprise if the wind holds.

Rusty, signing off.

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