Westport-The Groins Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer for Westport-The Groins over the next couple of weeks. I’ll be straight with you – it’s a bit of a slow burner. We’ve got a decent window of clean conditions coming, but the early days are a write-off, and the swell is never exactly pumping. The Groins is a sheltered beach/jetty setup, so it takes a certain kind of magic to work, and it’s going to be more about the vibe than the size.

The first real chance to get wet doesn’t come until Thursday the 16th of July. The early part of the week is a no-go. Sunday the 12th through Wednesday the 15th is all cross-onshore wind and choppy, messy conditions. The swell is small, under 3 ft, with moderate combined energy (around 319 to 491). It’s just not worth paddling out for.

Now, Thursday the 16th of July is where things turn. The morning brings a solid shift: offshore wind from the south at 9 mph, with only a 2 ft swell from the west, but that’s a long-period groundswell at 19 seconds. The water is a chilly 54°F, which is a whopping 5° colder than average for this time of year – that’s a proper cold snap, so don’t forget your hood. The combined energy jumps to 525 (moderate), and the comment says to expect good surf conditions. The sets will be clean and lined up, with long gaps between them, making it easier to get out back. This is the pick of the forecast for the near term. The afternoon stays clean with a cross-off breeze.

Friday the 17th of July morning is also a standout. We’ve got a moderate offshore breeze from the south at 12 mph, pushing into a 5 ft WNW swell with an 8-second period. The combined energy is up to 642 (moderate), and again, conditions are clean. This is a bit more size, but that shorter period means it’ll be a bit more walled up on the beach break – still good fun for an intermediate surfer.

After Friday, the next few days are a bit of a mixed bag through to the 22nd of July. There’s a lot of cross-on wind and chop, with the swell hanging around 3 ft to 4 ft. The standout window returns on Monday the 21st of July and again on Monday the 27th of July. On the 21st, the morning has a light cross-off breeze from the WSW at 6 mph, and a 5 ft WNW swell (8 seconds) with clean conditions and combined energy of 442. The 27th of July morning is a carbon copy – light cross-off, 4 ft swell, clean, and solid energy (440).

For the long range, the 22nd of July sees a bit more size, with a 6 ft WNW swell (9 seconds) on Wednesday morning, but the wind is cross-shore, making it marginal. The combined energy hits 656 (moderate), which is the highest in the forecast. It’s a bit of a gamble – could be fun if the wind stays light, but it’s not the cleanest call.

The best bet overall? Lock in Thursday the 16th of July morning at Westport-The Groins. That long-period west swell with offshore wind is the cleanest, most lined-up session on offer. The second best is Friday the 17th of July morning for a bit more size, but it’s a shorter period. If you’re a beginner, be aware that the best days are small (2 ft to 5 ft), so it’s actually fine for you. The 6 ft swell on the 22nd might be a bit much if you’re just starting out.

Crowds are noted as “sometimes” at The Groins, so you might have company on the good days. Don’t expect a deserted peak.

Rusty.

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