Whites Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, mates, Rusty here. Let's get stuck into the outlook for Whites Reef. It's a bit of a mixed bag over the next couple weeks, but there are a few windows worth paddling out for.

We start off in a rough patch. The first few days are pretty grim. Tuesday, July 28th, is a write-off with strong cross-onshore winds and lumpy, poor surf. The combined wave energy is moderate but messy, with readings around 859 and blowing up to 1078. Wednesday the 29th has a solid 8ft SW swell, but that onshore wind keeps it a messy, blown-out affair. Thursday the 30th is similar, with dropping swell and onshore wind. The water temperature is sitting at 59°F, which is about average for the time of year.

We finally get a little breath of life on Friday, August 1st. The swell drops to a tiny 3ft, but the wind goes light. It’s still marginal, but a step in the right direction.

Now, Saturday, August 2nd, is where things start to look interesting. We get clear skies and a building 4ft SW groundswell with a very long period of 17 seconds. The wind is cross-offshore, creating clean conditions. The combined energy is a decent 656. This is a good call for an intermediate surfer willing to work for those long-period sets. Keep in mind, a long-period swell like this can be a bit straight at beach breaks, but at a reef like Whites Reef, it should offer some nice lines. The wind stays clean through the morning, but it will become more cross-shore by afternoon.

Sunday, August 3rd, looks a little choppier with a cross-onshore wind and a 5ft WSW swell. It’s still surfable but not as clean. The energy is moderate (around 957). Monday the 4th has a decent 5ft SW swell from a 14-second period, but the cross-shore wind creates a slight chop. Not a standout.

The real gem in this forecast window is the middle of the second week. Look at Wednesday, August 6th. The morning has a light 2ft SSW swell, but the period is a very long 18 seconds. The wind is glassy by afternoon, with a light NNE breeze. The combined energy is 503, and conditions are described as very good. This is the standout session for the patient surfer. The swell is small, but those clean, glassy conditions on a long-period groundswell at the reef will make for some beautiful, high-quality waves. It's a sneaky good day.

After that, the swell fades badly. Thursday, August 7th, through Sunday, August 10th, we see tiny, weak pulses of swell with poor energy and often messy winds. A lot of days with combined energy under 250. It’s not looking worth the effort.

Then, a late-stage pulse arrives around Wednesday, August 12th and Thursday, August 13th. The swell jumps up to 8ft and 8ft from the WSW, with a moderate period of 14-15 seconds. The energy is very strong, clocking in at 2598. However, the wind is a fresh cross-shore, creating lumpy, cross-chop conditions. This is expert territory, and the conditions will be rough. It’s a big, powerful swell but not a clean one. The energy is massive, but the quality is poor.

In short: The first week is largely a wipeout. The absolute best on offer for clean waves is the very good conditions on Wednesday, August 6th, for patient intermediates seeking quality over quantity. The massive swell in the second week is for experts only and is going to be a messy, powerful beast.

-Rusty

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