Windansea Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s shaping up for our stretch of coast. To be straight with you, it’s a bit of a flat spell we’re walking into. The next week and a half is looking pretty grim, but there are a couple of faint glimmers way out on the horizon. We’ve got a long gap of poor conditions before anything worth paddling out for shows up.

Looking at overall pattern, we are stuck in a run of small, weak, and mostly messy surf. Windansea, the only spot on the cards here, is pretty much a no-go for the next several days. The south-west swell is there, but it’s tiny and the wind is just ruining it. From Thursday the 2nd of July, through to about Saturday the 11th, it’s a rough stretch. We’re talking about waves around 2ft to 3ft, but the wind is coming straight out of the west-northwest, putting a nasty cross-on or onshore chop on everything. The wave energy is weak to moderate, reading between 355 and 619 (combined energy of all swells directed here), but it doesn’t matter when it’s blown out. The water is sitting at 68°F, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, but you won’t be feeling it much on a flat, choppy day.

Now, by Tuesday the 7th of July, the swell does start to nudge up a little, hitting around 4ft, and the energy is building into the 700s and 800s. The period is a very long 18 seconds, which usually means nice, powerful groundswell. The catch? The wind is still onshore or cross-onshore, keeping things marginal at best. This pattern of “close but no cigar” hangs around through to about the 13th of July.

If we’re talking about the one period that might offer something, it’s the morning of Wednesday the 8th of July. The swell is a clean 3ft from the SW with a 16-second period. The wind swings to the WSW, and for a moment it drops to a light breeze of 10 km/h (6 mph), creating an offshore wind state. The energy is still solid (610 combined energy of all swells directed here). This is the one time where Windansea could actually have a clean, workable line-up for a few hours. It’s not a standout, it’s a brief window of opportunity in a flat spell. The rip-off the reef might give you some fun waves if you’re an advanced surfer. The crowds here can be often, so don’t expect to have it to yourself.

After that window, it’s back to the doldrums. From the 9th of July all the way through the 17th, we are looking at poor to marginal surf. The swell drops back below 3ft and the wind stays messy. Energy readings drop into the 200s and 300s. It’s a real blank run for any decent paddle surfing.

So, the best on offer? Honestly, there’s only one spot to even mention. That would be the window on the morning of Wednesday the 8th of July at Windansea. Expect waves around 3ft from the SW with a 16-second period. The wind will be light offshore from the WSW, which is your best bet for clean conditions. It’s not a day for beginners with a 3ft swell on a reef setup, but for the experienced surfer, it’ll be the best the week has to offer. After that, the whole coast goes quiet again.

Stay tuned, but don’t hold your breath for a while.

Rusty.

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