Cintsa West Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, surfers, Rusty here, looking at the conditions ahead for our stretch. It’s a bit of a mixed bag, but there are a couple of windows worth getting excited about. We’re starting off slow, so don’t rush out there just yet.

The first real chance to get wet kicks off on Wednesday morning, August 5th, at Cintsa West. We’ve got a clean 4ft east swell pushing through, with a nice 10-second period and a light offshore wind. The water’s sitting around average for this time of year, so it should be pretty pleasant. It’s a bit inconsistent, but the combo of clean conditions and a good swell direction for the point makes it a decent option to ease into the week.

Thursday, August 6th, sees things get a bit messier. A new southwest swell fills in, but the wind swings around onshore and it gets choppy. Not your friend. Friday is much the same – a bit of swell, but poor, wind-blown conditions. You can sit that one out.

Now, here’s the first standout. Saturday morning, August 8th, looks proper. The swell eases back to 4ft from the SSW, but the wind goes light offshore, and the forecast is for very good surf. The period is a solid 15 seconds, so there’s some real groundswell energy in the water. The combined swell energy is a moderate 787. It’s going to be clean and lined up. This is your pick for the first week.

Sunday, August 9th, the swell builds. We’re looking at 6ft in the morning, jumping to 8ft by the afternoon, with a shorter period. The wind is howling offshore, which will keep it clean, but the bigger, shorter-period swell could get a bit unruly. It’s pushing towards expert territory in the afternoon.

Monday, August 10th, and Tuesday, August 11th, the ocean gets angry. The swell stays up over 6ft, but the wind goes onshore and it’s just messy and choppy. There’s a lot of energy, but it’s not rideable energy. If you’re a kiter, this might be your time, but for a surfer, it’s a no-go. The combined energy on Tuesday afternoon is a strong 1651, but it’s a washing machine out there.

From Wednesday, August 12th, through Friday, August 14th, the swell drops and the wind is mostly cross-shore. It’s going to be a bit of a lull with marginal, junky conditions. The swell direction swings around to the east, which isn't ideal for the point, so it’s not looking like it’s worth the paddle.

But hold on, here’s your second, and perhaps the best, window. The standout is Saturday morning, August 15th. The wind drops to nothing – it’s glassy. We’ve got a clean 4ft east swell with a 10-second period and a combined energy of 344. It’s small but absolutely perfect. The point will be a longboard paradise. The water is still about average for the season. If you want clean, peeling lines without a fight, this is your session.

Sunday the 16th sees a bit more swell, 5ft, but the wind goes a little cross-onshore, taking the shine off. After that, things turn a bit average for the start of the second week. The wind is mostly cross-shore with small, weak swell. There’s a pulse of ENE swell on Wednesday the 19th, but it’s short-period and just not going to do much on the point.

Looking further out, around Thursday the 20th, there’s a chance of a bigger ENE swell, but it’s a long way off. The long-range outlook says the period is short and the direction isn't great for us, so while it might be big, it could just be a close-out. It’s promising but I wouldn’t book time off work for it just yet.

So, there you have it. Get on it for Saturday morning the 8th, and then keep that eye on Saturday the 15th for the truly glassy one. The rest is just timing the tides and dodging the wind.

Rusty, out.

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