Cactus Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming up for Cactus. This is a reef setup, exposed to the SW swell, and it’s going to be a bit of a slow burn, but there are a couple of windows that’ll get the heart pumping.

Right off the bat, we’ve got a big swell hitting on Wednesday the 12th of August, with waves pushing 8ft to 10ft from the SW. The energy is massive, with a combined swell energy of 3791 and 8213, but the wind is on it, blowing 16 mph from the SW and WSW. That’s going to make for poor surf conditions, so we’re sitting that one out. No good for paddling; it’s more of a kite-surfing setup if anything.

After that, the swell drops a touch, but the wind starts to clean up. Thursday the 13th is still marginal, with 8ft to 7ft SW swell and a light breeze from the SSE and S, but it’s cross or cross-on, so the surface is a little ruffled. Not worth getting too excited about.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. Friday the 14th of August is the standout. The swell settles to 7ft to 7ft from the SW, period is a solid 16 seconds, so it’s a proper groundswell with good energy (combined energy of 2220 and 2017). The wind goes light from the ESE and SE, cross-off, and the forecast says “clean.” The water temp is around 59°, which is about average for this time of year. This is excellent surf for experienced surfers. The wave height is right on the edge of being too big for beginners, but for the crew that knows what they’re doing, this is a gem.

Saturday the 15th still has some size, 6ft to 5ft from the SW, with clean conditions from a moderate offshore breeze, but the energy is dropping. Still a decent option if you missed Friday.

By Sunday the 16th, the swell is dropping to 4ft, but the wind goes offshore from the E at 12 mph, giving us clean, glassy lines. The period is 14 seconds, so there’s still some push. It’s a good morning session for a longboard or a fish.

The following week sees a few more pulses. Monday the 17th is clean with offshore winds and 4ft SW swell, perfect for a mellow session. But then we hit a dry spell from Tuesday the 18th through Thursday the 20th, with tiny waves under 3ft and onshore or cross-shore winds. The water temp is still average, but there’s just not enough juice.

Then, on Friday the 21st of August, we get a bit of a boost. The swell jumps back to 6ft to 6ft from the SW, with a period of 14 seconds. The winds are light and cross, so it’s a bit lumpy, but the energy is back (1073 and 1286). It’s not the same quality as the 14th, but it’s surfable.

Saturday the 22nd is a write-off – strong SW winds at 25 mph, messy and onshore. Sunday the 23rd starts small, but the afternoon sees a spike to 10ft from the W with a 17-second period and a combined energy of 5491. The wind is light and onshore, though, so it’s a bit of a tease – big, but not clean.

The last real window is Wednesday the 26th of August. The swell is 6ft from the SW, period 14 seconds, and the wind is a light cross-off from the E at 3 mph. That’s going to be clean and punchy, excellent for experienced surfers again. It’s a long way out, so keep an eye on it, but it has potential.

So, to sum it up: the best on offer is Friday the 14th of August for the quality of the swell and the clean conditions. The secondary call is Wednesday the 26th of August, which is promising but less certain this far out. The rest of the time, it’s either too windy, too small, or too messy. Crowds at Cactus can be possible, so get there early for the good days.

Stay salty,
Rusty

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