Cintsa West Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, let’s get into it. This is your local surf report from Rusty.

Alright, listen up, crew. We’ve got a 16-day window here, and I’m not gonna lie to you – it’s a real mixed bag. The first few days are a bit of a write-off, so don’t be in a rush to get your wetsuit on just yet. We’ve got a long quiet spell before any real magic starts to show up. The standout window is way out there, almost two weeks away, so we’ve got to be patient.

The only spot on the radar is Cintsa West, a point break that’s usually pretty good but, fair warning, it’s inconsistent and can get crowded sometimes. The water’s sitting at 65°F, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year, so you’ll want that extra layer.

We kick off on Monday, 24 August, but honestly, don’t bother. Tiny swell at 3ft from the south with a short 8-second period, and the wind is a messy cross-onshore. The combined energy is weak (204), and it’s just not worth paddling out for. That trend continues through Tuesday with a bit more height (4ft) and a much longer 17-second period, giving us a decent energy reading (1120), but the cross-onshore breeze ruins it. Wednesday, 26 August, gets a bit bigger – 6ft from the south – but with onshore winds and rain showers, it’s a messy, choppy scene. The combined energy hits 2095, but the quality is poor. Thursday and Friday are a write-off with strong, lumpy winds and junk swell.

The weekend of 29-30 August is still not great. The swell hangs around 6ft to 8ft, but it’s cross-shore and messy, with moderate energy (699 to 1444). The wind never cleans it up.

Then we hit a bit of a lull. Monday, 31 August, into Tuesday, 1 September, is a mess of strong winds and rain. The wind state finally goes glassy on Tuesday morning, 1 September, with a clean 5ft swell from the ENE, but the energy is only 491, and it’s a small window. The crowd might be an issue if anyone else is watching the forecast.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. Skip ahead to Thursday, 3 September. We’ve got a solid 10ft groundswell from the SSW with a very long 18-second period, and the wind is a clean cross-offshore. The combined energy is a massive 5429. This is a serious swell, but it’s getting close to expert territory. The long period means it’ll have plenty of power, but at a point break like Cintsa West, it should line up nicely. Just be aware, anything over 8ft is for the experienced crew.

But the absolute standout, the one you’ve been waiting for, is Friday, 4 September. The morning is a dream: glassy conditions, a 20ft swell from the southwest with a 15-second period, and the combined energy is an insane 20845. That is a massive, powerful groundswell. The wind is dead calm. The only catch is the forecast says it might be too big for the break itself, but for the very best surfers, this is the day. The afternoon settles down to a still-impressive 13ft with a gentle cross-shore. This is the best on offer in the whole window, but it’s a long way out, so keep checking the forecast.

After that, the swell drops back down. Saturday, 5 September, has clean 8ft swell but with strong cross-offshore winds, making it lumpy. Sunday, 6 September, is a much more manageable 6ft from the south with a 12-second period, and the wind is a clean cross-offshore. The energy is 1123, and it’s described as excellent for experienced surfers. That’s a solid, fun day.

The final few days from 7 September onward are a complete washout with strong onshore winds and tiny, weak swell. Don’t even think about it.

So, to sum it up: forget the first week. The real magic is on Friday, 4 September, with a massive, glassy 20ft groundswell – that’s for the experts only. The next best bet is Tuesday morning, 1 September, for a clean but smaller session, or Sunday, 6 September, for a clean, fun 6ft swell. The long-range stuff is promising but less certain, so keep your eyes on the charts.

Rusty.

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