Arrieta Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty. Let's talk about what Arrieta's got cooking for the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – it's a tough stretch for paddle surfing here. The waves are there, sure, but the conditions are making it real hard to love. The water’s a touch warmer than normal at 73°, which is nice for the skin, but that's about the only easy thing.

We're looking at a long, dry spell for quality waves. From now, Sunday the 19th, all the way through to Saturday the 26th of July, the calls are all "poor surf conditions" or "marginal." A lot of this comes down to a brutal cross-shore wind that’s chopping everything up. The swell is mostly hanging around 7 ft to 8 ft from the NNE, with a short, weak period of only 7 to 8 seconds, so there's no real power or shape to it. The energy readings are moderate, but it doesn't help when the wind is on it.

The first real glimmer of hope shows up on Sunday the 26th of July. The swell picks up a bit more push, hitting 8 ft with a slightly longer 9-second period, and the wind finally swings to a cross-offshore direction. The energy jumps to a strong level and the waves look clean. It's just "marginal" due to tide, but it's the best we've seen. Arrieta is a reef break, inconsistent and for advanced surfers only, so if you're good enough to handle a tricky spot, that Sunday morning could offer a window.

Monday the 27th is a write-off – too much size at 10 ft and messy cross-shore conditions. That's expert-only territory and even then, the conditions are poor.

After that, from Tuesday the 28th through to Monday the 3rd of August, the wind stays cleaner but the swell drops off fast. From 8 ft down to 3 ft, the energy sinks to a weak level. The period stays short, so you're looking at small, weak, clean waves. The Friday the 31st and Saturday the 1st of August are particularly small with only 4 ft and 3 ft swell.

So, the honest truth is there's no screaming standout session here. If you had to pick one, I'd say the best bet is the morning of Sunday the 26th of July. It's the only time where you've got a decent-sized, clean-looking swell with enough power to make Arrieta’s reef work, but remember it's inconsistent and you'll need to be on your game. For the rest, you're either battling the wind or waiting on tiny waves. This area is seeing a pretty normal run of poor conditions, but it won't be like this forever – the forecasts can always turn around.

Rusty, signing off.

Read more