Windmills Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming up over the next couple of weeks. I’m gonna be straight with you – this is a tricky one. The entire 16-day window is a battle against the wind, and there’s no real green light until the very end. We’re looking at a long stretch of poor conditions, so patience is the name of the game.

The first real chance of anything worth paddling out for doesn’t show up until Tuesday, the 28th of July, and even then, it’s a marginal call. For the guts of two weeks before that, we’ve got a relentless cross-shore wind, mostly from the ENE at 12 to 19 mph, that’s going to leave the surface chopped up and messy. The swell is on the small side, mostly in the 3 ft to 6 ft range, but with that wind, it’s just not going to be clean. The combined wave energy hangs around in the moderate range, mostly between 100 and 300, which tells you there’s some push, but the quality is just not there.

The one standout – and I use that word carefully – is the afternoon of Tuesday, the 28th of July. Windmills is the only break on the cards here. That afternoon, the wind drops to a gentle 9 mph cross-shore, which is our best chance for a clean surface. The swell hits 4 ft from the ENE, but the real story is the period: 13 seconds. That’s a proper groundswell, with a lot of energy behind it. The combined energy reads 706, which is strong and will definitely get your attention. This is a reef break, so a long-period groundswell like that is actually perfect for it – it’ll hold up and shape nicely. The only buzzkill is the crowds: this spot is “often” busy, so expect company. The water’s sitting at a warm 79°, which is pretty much average for the time of year, so no surprises there.

The morning of the 29th of July and the 30th also have some swell, but the period is very long at 12 seconds, and the wind is still cross-shore, keeping it from being a standout. The 26th of July does have some bigger swell, pushing 6 ft to 7 ft, but the wind is howling at 19 mph, so it’s going to be a bumpy, blown-out mess. Not the one for a paddle. For the first two weeks, honestly, the setup looks more interesting for a kite surfer than a traditional surfer, with that strong, consistent cross-shore.

So, to sum it up: the first half of the window is a write-off. Your best bet, and the only real highlight, is the afternoon of Tuesday, the 28th of July at Windmills. It’s a late call, but it’s the only decent wave on offer.

Rusty.

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