Budeo Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for Budeo. It’s going to be a bit of a mixed bag with a slow start, but there’s a real flash of quality hiding in the second week if you’ve got the patience.

This first week is a bit of a grind. We’ve got swell rolling in, but the wind just won’t play nice. From Tuesday, 28 July, right through the end of the month, the surf is there but it’s messy. Swell heights are hanging around 3 ft to 6 ft from the WSW and SW, with periods around 12 to 14 seconds, so there’s some decent groundswell energy in the water (combined energy hitting 1163 on Tuesday morning). But it’s mostly a cross-on or cross-off wind, and the reports are calling it marginal or poor. The water is a balmy 66°, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year, so you won’t need a thick wetsuit, but the surface is chopped up. Wednesday and Thursday (29th and 30th July) are more of the same – light cross-onshore winds, small wind ripples, and the swell drops a bit. Not really worth paddling out for.

The first week of August continues the same story. Friday, 31 July, through to Wednesday, 5 August, sees swell heights from 3 ft to 5 ft, but the wind stays stubbornly cross-onshore. The energy is weak to moderate (between 125 and 777), and the wave comment is either “poor” or “marginal”. It’s a real dry spell.

Now, hold onto your board, because Thursday, 6 August, is the standout. The morning shapes up with a clean 6 ft SW groundswell (a very long 16-second period) and glassy conditions with a light WNW breeze at just 3 mph. The combined energy is a strong 1499, and the report says “excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers.” That 6 ft is pushing into the bigger range, so it’s not for beginners, but for anyone with some experience, this is the pick of the entire 16-day window. The SW swell is right on the money for Budeo’s optimum direction. The afternoon hangs on to the same size, but the wind shifts onshore, so get out there early.

Friday, 7 August, and Saturday, 8 August, keep the goods coming with consistent 6 ft to 7 ft SW swell (14-second period). The energy stays strong (1249 to 1812), but the wind is a bit more variable – cross-on or onshore. Still very surfable, especially for the crew who can handle the size. Sunday, 9 August, holds around 6 ft, but the wind goes back to a light cross-onshore, so it’s less clean.

The following week (10 to 12 August) fades out. Swell drops to 5 ft and then down to 3 ft, periods shorten, and the wind stays cross-onshore. The energy falls away, and we’re back to poor conditions. It’s a classic case of a slow first week, a killer few days around the 6th to 8th, and then a tapering off. If you can only pick one session, make it Thursday, 6 August, at dawn.

Rusty.

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