Cactus Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, let’s have a look at what’s on offer. The next couple of weeks are a bit of a mixed bag at Cactus. There’s a solid run of South-West groundswell on the cards, but the wind is going to be the main story – it’s gonna mess things up for a good chunk of the time. We’ve got a few windows of clean conditions, but you’ll have to pick your moments.

The week kicks off with some half-decent options. Tuesday morning the 4th of August sees a clean 4ft swell from the SW, with a moderate cross-off breeze. The water’s sitting at 60°, which is pretty normal for this time of year. The energy is moderate (548). It’s not world-class, but it’s surfable. By Tuesday afternoon, it gets glassy. The swell drops to 3ft, but the period is a very long 15 seconds, so that groundswell will have some real push. The energy is lower (364), but clean conditions make it a nice session for a log or a mid-length.

Wednesday the 5th is a bit of a write-off with onshore winds in the afternoon, and Thursday morning the 6th is the first real standout. Glassy conditions, 4ft of SW swell at 16 seconds, and a clean face. The energy is moderate (570). This is the window to be in the water. Thursday afternoon picks up a bit with 5ft, but the wind swings cross-shore, so it’s not as clean.

Friday the 7th sees the swell building to 5ft, but the wind is cross-off in the morning so it stays clean. The energy is ramping up (1287). That’s a solid, fun size. But then the weekend is a write-off. Saturday the 8th and Sunday the 9th are blown out with strong onshore winds and rain. The swell gets big – 10ft on Sunday – but with 28 mph onshore winds, it’s a complete mess. That’s one for the kite crew, not the paddle-in crew.

The following week is more of the same. Monday the 10th has a 8ft SW swell with a 17-second period, but it’s cross-on and lumpy. The energy is very strong (3224). It’s a lot of water moving around, but the wind is just not playing ball. The next couple of days, Tuesday the 11th and Wednesday the 12th, see the swell staying big (8ft to 10ft), and while the wind eases a bit on Wednesday afternoon, it’s still onshore. The energy is huge (4864), but it’s not going to be pretty.

Now, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Saturday the 15th of August afternoon is another standout. Glassy conditions, 6ft of SW swell at a long 17-second period, and the energy is strong (1682). The guidance says it’s excellent for experienced surfers. That is the session to aim for later in the run. Sunday the 16th also has clean mornings with cross-off winds and 5ft swell.

So, to sum it up: the best on offer is Thursday morning the 6th for a clean, glassy session on a smaller, long-period swell, and Saturday afternoon the 15th for a bigger, more powerful, and still glassy wave. The rest of the time, you’ll be fighting the wind or dealing with blown-out, heavy conditions that are only for the experienced.

Rusty.

Read more