Cintsa West Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Looks like we’ve got a bit of a slow start and then a mixed bag over the next couple of weeks at Cintsa West. The surf kicks off Friday morning, but it’s a bit of a raw one. We’ve got a solid 8ft swell pushing in from the SSW with a period of 12 seconds, but the wind is a cross-off from the SW at 12 mph, and there’s rain showers about. The water temp is sitting close to average for this time of year, nothing to write home about. The combined energy is strong (3400), but the report’s calling it marginal, and I’d agree – it’s messy, and the tide might cause issues. Friday afternoon drops a touch to 8ft, but the wind goes cross and light, and the period jumps to a very long 16 seconds. That’s groundswell energy, and at a point break like Cintsa West, it could line up beautifully, but it’s still a bit of a gamble with the ‘marginal’ tag.

Saturday morning is where it gets interesting. The swell drops to 4ft from the SSW, but the wind is glassy – dead flat, 3 mph. That’s clean as a whistle. The period is a solid 14 seconds, so there’s decent shape, and the energy is moderate (958). It’s inconsistent here, so you’ll need patience, but the conditions are primo. The swell direction is straight out of the SSW, which is bang on the optimum for this spot. Saturday afternoon sees a bit of cross-on wind kick in, and the swell drops a little, so the morning is definitely the pick of the weekend.

Sunday keeps a similar 4ft SSW swell, but the wind swings to a cross-shore from the NE, getting stronger through the day. The period drops to 12 seconds, and the energy is moderate (575). It’s not terrible, but it’s not the standout. Monday and Tuesday look grim – the wind picks up to 19 mph on Monday, with fresh cross-shore chop, and the swell drops right off. Tuesday brings a short-period 7ft from the SSE at 8 seconds, which is just chunky, messy windswell – not great for a point break.

Now, here’s the real standout: Thursday, 30th July morning. The wind is glassy again, dead calm, and the swell is 7ft from the east at 8 seconds. That’s a short period, but the energy is strong (1452), and the conditions are described as “excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers.” The east swell is off the optimum direction for Cintsa West (which likes SE), but with glassy conditions, it’ll be clean and powerful. At 7ft, it’s pushing into expert territory, so beginners should stay out of the water. The crowds are sometimes there, so you might have a few others out, but with that quality, it’s worth it.

The following week is a bit of a mixed story. Friday 31st July and Saturday 1st August have 7ft to 8ft east swells, but the wind is cross-shore and moderate to fresh, so the surface will be lumpy. Sunday 2nd August morning is a nice little window: 5ft from the ESE, cross-off wind from the N at 9 mph, and clean conditions. The period is 11 seconds, and the energy is moderate (824). It’s not huge, but it’ll be fun. After that, the swells start to fade and the wind gets messy again, with a few clean mornings on 5th, 6th, and 7th August, but the swell is only 3ft to 5ft. Those are small, clean days for a longboard or a funboard, with glassy or cross-off winds. The last day, 8th August morning, is glassy with a 3ft south swell at 11 seconds – a nice little finale.

Overall, the best on offer is Thursday 30th July morning for the experienced crew, with glassy conditions and a solid 7ft east swell. Saturday 25th July morning is the pick for smaller, cleaner waves if you want a more relaxed session.

Rusty.

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