Cactus Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, surfers, Rusty here. Let’s get into it. We’ve got a solid-looking run of groundswell on the way for Cactus, a classic reef break, but it’s not all clean sailing. The water is sitting at 61°, which is pretty much normal for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The overall pattern starts off a bit messy. Monday the 20th and Tuesday the 21st are a write-off with onshore and cross-shore winds messing up the 4ft to 4ft SW swell. Don’t bother paddling out; it’s a waste of energy. Wednesday the 22nd is even worse, with a building onshore breeze and a poor 2ft swell. Thursday the 23rd sees the swell jump up to 7ft from the SW, but it’s still cross-shore and lumpy, so it’s not a goer.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. Friday morning, July 24th is your first real standout. The swell is a solid 6ft from the SW, with a period of 15 seconds—that’s proper groundswell. The wind goes glassy offshore from the east, and the wave energy is pumping at a strong 1212. The report says excellent conditions for experienced surfers, and that’s the truth. This reef is exposed to the SW, so it’s going to be handling this energy beautifully. Expect clean, lined-up waves. If you can handle the size, this is the session to aim for.

The weekend slides back into mediocrity with cross-onshore winds and dropping swell, but Tuesday morning, July 28th is a sneaky good one. The swell drops to 3ft from the SW, but the wind is completely glassy. Period is a very long 17 seconds, which will give the reef some real shape. It’s a smaller, cleaner window for the longboard or a fun mid-length.

The real fireworks, though, are locked in for Wednesday afternoon, July 29th. The swell is a solid 6ft from the SW, period at 15 seconds, and the wind is glassy. The combined energy is a massive 2610, signaling strong wave power. The forecast says excellent conditions for experienced surfers. This is the best on offer across the whole forecast. The reef will be holding that long-period swell perfectly, delivering powerful, well-shaped waves. Get on it.

After that, from Thursday the 30th through to the end, the swell stays big—7ft to 10ft from the SW/SSW—but the wind gets messy again. The morning of Saturday, August 1st, has a clean 8ft SW swell (2676 energy) with a cross-off wind, but it’s expert territory at that size. The 8ft to 10ft stuff on Sunday and Monday is hammered by onshore and cross-onshore winds, making it a total mess. The big swell in the second week is promising for power, but the wind windows are narrow. The crowd factor at Cactus can be a “sometimes” thing, so on those clean days, you might have to share.

Stay sharp, and don’t miss that Wednesday afternoon glass-off.

Rusty.

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