Hideaways (Mentawi Islands) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into the waves for the Mentawi Islands over the next couple of weeks.

We’ve got a solid run of swell on the cards, with a real standout stretch of surf that’s going to have the motors running. The water is a balmy 85°, which is pretty much spot on for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The first serious action kicks off on Tuesday, 18th August. Nothing to write home about just yet—a bit of a mixed bag with a 6 ft SSW swell, but the wind is cross-off and the energy is already pumping at 3586 (moderate to strong). It's a bit of a warm-up. The real juice starts Wednesday the 19th. We see a solid jump in size, with the swell hitting 10 ft from the SSW, and the period is a very long 18 seconds. That’s a proper groundswell. The energy is cranked up to 5320 (very strong). The morning has a risk of a storm, but the wind is light and cross-off. By Wednesday afternoon, it’s still 10 ft, 17 seconds, and the energy is even higher at 5708 (very strong). This is heavy, powerful reef surf. It’s only for experienced surfers, no question.

Now, the best of the best comes on Thursday, 20th August. The morning session is the pick of the entire forecast. We’ve got a 10 ft SSW swell, 16 second period, and the wind is blowing offshore from the SSE at 9 mph. The energy is 4136 (strong). That’s a clean, lined-up, rippable reef wave. The whole setup is excellent. The wind holds offshore through the afternoon, dropping to 8 ft, which is still a beast.

Friday the 21st keeps the quality going, with offshore winds and a 7 ft SSW swell in the morning, easing to 7 ft in the afternoon. The energy is still strong (3138 and 1950). The wind stays offshore through the weekend, with Saturday the 22nd offering a 8 ft SSW swell and a moderate offshore breeze, making for a clean, powerful morning session.

After that, the energy starts to taper a little, but the consistency remains. There’s a gap in the absolute peak, but the waves don’t disappear. The 27th of August sees a return of that very long period (19 seconds) with a 4 ft swell, but the energy is back up to 1664 (moderate to strong). The 30th of August into the 31st and 1st of September shows another pulse, with the 1st of September bringing a 7 ft SW swell with glassy conditions in the afternoon. That’s a magic moment.

The Standout
If you can only pick one window, it’s the morning of Thursday, 20th August at Hideaways (Mentawi Islands). That 10 ft SSW swell, 16 second period, and gentle offshore wind from the SSE is the recipe for perfection. The energy is strong (4136) and the wind is offshore, keeping it clean. This is world-class stuff. The Wednesday before is also a monster, but Thursday morning has the slightly better wind alignment. The crowds are something to be aware of here—it’s been known to get busy, but for a session like that, it’s worth the company.

The very end of the run, into the 1st and 2nd of September, also looks promising. The 1st of September afternoon has a 7 ft SW swell, 17 seconds, and glassy conditions. That’s a beautiful, clean wall to yourself.

Stay safe out there, it gets big. Rusty.

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