Whites Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cooking for Whites Reef over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with ya – the first week-plus is a bit of a write-off. We’ve got a flat, choppy mess on our hands. The water temp is sitting at 59°, which feels a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, but that’s about the only thing that’s mildly interesting. The real action doesn’t kick in until the end of the month.

Friday the 14th and Saturday the 15th are both a no-go. The swell is there, around 6 ft to 5 ft, but the wind’s all wrong – onshore and cross, making everything a bumpy, choppy mess. It’s a shame because the swell energy is actually moderate to strong (1374 to 988), but it’s just not rideable.

Sunday the 16th morning shows a little glimmer. The swell drops to 4 ft from the SW with a 14-second period, and we finally get some clean, gentle offshore wind from the ENE. The energy’s down to 453 – moderate, but the conditions are right. It’s a small, clean day for a longboard or a funboard, but it’s nothing to write home about. The afternoon gets a bit messy again.

Monday the 17th is the first real standout. The morning is clean with a 2 ft, 16-second SW groundswell and offshore ENE breeze at 9 mph. Energy is 418 – moderate, but the quality is there. The afternoon gets even better: the swell bumps up to 4 ft, the same long 16-second period, still clean offshore wind from the E. That’s the best session of the first week. Clean, lined-up waves for an intermediate surfer. The long period means you’ll get some proper waiting time between sets, and on a reef setup like this, it’ll hold shape beautifully.

After that, it’s a long dry spell. Tuesday the 18th through to Saturday the 22nd are mostly poor, with onshore winds, rain, and low energy. A 6-day gap with no real recommendations. The swell pops up on the 22nd to a solid 7 ft from the SW with 15-second period and the combined energy hits 2303 – strong stuff. But it’s marred by a strong onshore wind at 19 mph. That’s a blown-out, dangerous mess. Only for the kamikaze crew, and even then, it’s not worth it.

The next real beacon is Friday the 28th of August. This is the absolute standout of the whole outlook. The morning shows a clean 4 ft SSW groundswell with a very long 17-second period, cross-offshore ESE breeze at 9 mph, and the combined energy is a meaty 1328. The afternoon holds similar quality. This is your window. The wind keeps it glassy, the swell direction is perfect for the reef, and the long period will give you long, grinding walls. It’s better suited to experienced surfers on a point or reef break like this. Crowds are likely here, so get in early.

A couple of notes: the long-period swells (over 15 seconds) we see on the 17th and the 28th are prone to breaking a bit straight on beach breaks, but on a defined reef like Whites, they’ll be your friend.

So to wrap it up: The first week is mostly a fight with the wind. The only real highlight is Monday the 17th afternoon. After that, you wait. And wait. Then Friday the 28th is your day – mark it. Promising, but still a bit off in the distance, so keep an eye on the charts.

Stay stoked.
Rusty.

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