Aha Rivermouth Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the menu for Aha Rivermouth.

Honestly, the next couple of weeks look pretty grim for a paddle. We’ve got a long stretch of tiny, weak swell and messy wind, so don't get your hopes up for anything decent for a while. The first real sniff of anything interesting doesn't come until the very end of the month, and that's a long way off.

The water temp is sitting at about 84°, which is about normal for this time of year.

Looking at the start, from Tuesday the 21st right through to the end of July, it's a write-off. The swell is tiny, mostly around 1ft to 2ft, with a short period of 7 to 10 seconds, meaning weak, gutless waves. The combined energy is pitiful, mostly in the 40s and 80s (weak energy). On top of that, the wind is mostly cross or cross-onshore, making it choppy and messy. There’s a brief window on the Friday morning, the 24th, with clean conditions and a cross-offshore breeze, but the swell is still only about 2ft. It’s surfable, but very ordinary.

The situation doesn't improve much into the first week of August. The wind gets nasty, with strong breezes and even a risk of thunderstorms. The swell stays small and weak until the 31st of July. On that Friday afternoon, we finally see a pulse of energy, with a 2ft swell from the ESE and a 13-second period, pushing the combined energy up to 207 (moderate energy). The wind is cross-offshore and clean. It’s still only a marginal call, but it's the first glimmer of life.

The real event, if you can call it that, is on the 1st and 2nd of August. A big groundswell from the ESE rolls in, with a very long period of 14-15 seconds. On the Saturday morning, the 1st, it’s about 5ft but the wind is a strong cross-onshore, making it a total mess. By Sunday the 2nd, the swell is pushing 7ft to 8ft, and the combined energy is massive, in the 1800s (strong wave energy). The wind is a gentle cross-shore, but the surf is still marginal, likely due to the size and period. This is a big, powerful swell, but with a 15-second period, it’s a groundswell that might break too straight and fat on a beach break like this.

The Standout: The best bet on offer is the Monday morning, the 3rd of August. We’ve got a massive 12ft swell from the east, with a 15-second period. The combined energy is a whopping 5421 (very strong wave energy). The wind is a gentle cross-onshore, but the file says it's too big for this break. For a surfer with experience, this is a serious, powerful swell. But the conditions are described as "wind and tide favorable, but the swell is predicted to be too big for this break." This is for experts only, and even then, it's a beast. The wave comment says "wind and tide favorable, but the swell is predicted to be too big for this break" which is a real shame. It’s a solid, powerful groundswell, but it’s likely going to be a washing machine.

So, to sum it up: there's a lot of small, windy, and poor surf ahead. The only real standout is a massive, expert-only swell on the 3rd of August, but it's likely too big for the break. Don't hold your breath for the rest of it.

Rusty.

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