Guarita Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the table for the Guarita region. It’s a reef break that takes on some size and can handle a solid south swell.

We’re kicking off on Thursday the 20th of August, and honestly, it’s a slow burn. The early days are flat and messy. Thursday has a weak 3ft swell from the ENE with a short period of 5 seconds, giving it low energy and a cross-shore wind. It's poor. That afternoon glass off is a tease, but the waves are just ordinary.

Friday is a write-off with tiny swell and a howling SW wind. You wouldn't bother paddling out.

Then we get a real jump on Saturday the 22nd. The swell pumps up to 6.6ft from the south with a 9-second period, and the energy is moderate. The wind is a messy cross-shore. The report calls it marginal due to tide. This is a big, raw swell, so if you’re not an expert, it’s going to be a handful.

Sunday the 23rd is where it starts to get interesting. The morning is glassy with a 5.2ft SSE groundswell. The period is a long 13 seconds, which means proper energy and better shaped waves. The wind is light off the land (WSW). That's good news for the lineup.

Now, the standout of the entire forecast is Monday the 24th. Monday morning is as good as it gets. Glassy, no wind at all, and a solid 7.5ft swell from the SSE. The period is a very long 15 seconds, and the combined energy is enormous. This is excellent surf for experienced surfers. The long period will make it powerful and lined up, ideal for a reef like Guarita. The sets will be clean with long lulls, making it easier to get out back. You need to be on it.

The water temperature is 63.7°, which is about 0.9° warmer than average for this time of year; nothing unusual, just a standard late-winter temp.

By Tuesday the 25th, the swell drops back to 5.6ft with a 13-second period, but the cross-shore wind takes the shine off. It’s surfable but not a standout.

The rest of the week into the first week of September looks patchy. There are some afternoon onshores and smaller swells. We see another pulse on Friday the 28th of August with a 7.9ft ENE swell, but the wind is cross and the period is shorter at 9 seconds. It’s marginal. After that, it’s mostly 3.3ft to 5.9ft swells with cross-onshore winds and poor conditions through to the 4th of September. There is a bit of swell on the 4th, but it’s onshore and choppy.

So, the bottom line: the first week is mostly about waiting. The best bet is Monday the 24th of August. Get the early glass-off, because this is a proper, powerful groundswell and the location is the place to be.

Stay stoked.

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