Whites Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s check out what’s shakin’ at Whites Reef. We’ve got a bit of a rough start to this outlook, but there’s some light at the end of the tunnel if you’re patient.

The water’s currently sittin’ at 59°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year – a nice little bonus if you’re suiting up.

The first week is pretty much a write-off, I’m not gonna lie. We’ve got a gap from the start all the way through to the end of next week with no real standouts. Conditions are just plain messy. Winds are howling from the north and northwest mostly, and that’s putting a nasty cross-off or cross-shore chop on everything. Even when we get some energy in the water, like on Monday the 10th when the combined energy hits a very strong 2486 from a 5ft SW swell, the wind is just wrecking it. That 5ft mark means it might be a bit much for the beginners anyway, but the texture is all wrong. On Wednesday the 12th, the swell pushes up to 7ft with a solid 17-second period from the SW – that’s big, powerful groundswell – but with strong onshore winds, it’s a mess and really only for experts, if anyone. The energy numbers are huge that afternoon, hitting 3788. Still, a west wind on a reef is tough.

We finally get a bit of a break around Saturday the 15th and Sunday the 16th. It’s not firing, but the wind starts to ease right off. Saturday morning has a 4ft SW swell with only a light breeze, though it’s still cross-onshore. It’s marginal, but at least the ocean isn't trying to kill you. Sunday the 16th morning sees the wind swing to a clean offshore from the east at just 6 mph. That light wind on a 4ft SW swell (458 combined energy) is the first time we see *clean* conditions. That’s a session for the longboard or a fish if you just need to get wet.

The standout moment, the one to really circle on your calendar, is Tuesday the 18th afternoon. We get an offshore breeze, and a 4ft SW groundswell with a very long 18-second period, pumping out 711 combined energy. That long period on a reef like Whites Reef means groomed, walling waves with plenty of power for an intermediate. The wind is glassy from the ESE at next to nothing. That is the pick of the bunch.

A bit further out, Friday the 21st of August morning looks promising. A clean offshore wind from the east-northeast and a 5ft WSW swell with a 15-second period (combined energy of 1001) is shaping up for excellent conditions for experienced surfers. That’s a proper swell. It’s a long way out, so keep an eye on it.

To sum it up: don’t waste your time on the first week. The best windows are the morning of Sunday the 16th for a small clean one, and the absolute standout is the afternoon of Tuesday the 18th of August. Friday the 21st of August morning is a promising swell window for the more seasoned crew.

Stay salty,
Rusty

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