Ixtapa Island Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cooking for Ixtapa Island over the next couple of weeks.

We’ve got a slow start, but once the good stuff kicks in, it’s going to be a ripper of a run. The first few days are small but clean, building into something special by the end of the month and into the first week of September. The real standout is shaping up to be Friday the 4th of September, with a massive pulse of energy.

The window opens Saturday morning, 22 August. Ixtapa Island is a reef setup, and it’s inconsistent, so it needs a bit of coaxing, but when it’s on, it’s on. Saturday morning we’ve got a clean 3 ft swell from the SSW, with a solid 13-second period and a light cross-off breeze from the north. The water is a toasty 89°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year. The combined energy is moderate, reading 589, so it’s not a big day, but it’s a fun start. Crowds are possible here, so keep that in mind.

Saturday afternoon turns a bit messy with a cross-on wind, so I’d be getting it done in the morning.

Sunday the 23rd is a treat. Glassy conditions in the morning with a small 2 ft SSW swell, but the period jumps to 18 seconds – that’s proper groundswell. It’s small, but that long period will wrap in nicely. The energy is moderate at 805. This is a classic small-day reef wave.

Monday the 24th sees another morning of clean, offshore glass. A 3 ft SW swell with a 17-second period and NNE wind. The afternoon goes glassy again with a calm wind. Very tidy.

The middle of the week stays small but clean through the mornings, with waist-high swells around 2 ft to 2 ft and long periods in the 15-16 second range. The energy dips a bit but stays in the moderate zone. Not a time for big waves, but for a log or a fun mid-length, it’s lovely.

Then we hit Friday the 28th of August. This is where things start to get interesting. The morning brings a clean, glassy 4 ft swell from the SSW with a 17-second period. The combined energy jumps to 1106, which is strong. This is excellent for experienced surfers – the size is pushing into the 5 ft+ range, so it’s not for beginners. The wind is glassy, so it’s going to be clean.

Saturday the 29th keeps the momentum. Morning sees a 6 ft SSW swell with a 16-second period and a cross-off breeze. The energy is very strong at 1590. This is good, solid reef wave territory.

Now, if you are looking for the absolute best of the best, circle the morning of Friday the 4th of September. That’s a full 16 days out, so it’s a promising long-range call, but the numbers are mouth-watering. We’re looking at a 7 ft SSW swell with an 18-second period, glassy conditions with calm wind, and a combined energy of 3645 – that’s very strong. This is a confident call for experienced surfers only. The size is over 8 ft, so it’s expert territory. The reef will handle that long period beautifully.

The morning of Thursday the 3rd of September is also a standout, with a 4 ft SSW swell but a huge 20-second period and glassy conditions. The energy is 1878.

The last few days of the outlook, around the 5th and 6th of September, still have size but the period drops off. Saturday the 5th afternoon has a 10 ft south swell, but the period is only 16 seconds, and the wind turns onshore, so it will be a mess. Sunday the 6th morning has an 8 ft SSW swell with a short 10-second period and a cross-off wind. That’s big and choppy, probably more interesting for kite surfing than a clean paddle.

So, the takeaway: get in the water Saturday morning the 22nd for a small start, enjoy the clean glassy mornings through the week, and then lock in the morning of Friday the 4th of September for the best, most powerful swell of the outlook. It’s a reef, it’s inconsistent, but when it goes off, it’s all worth it.

Rusty.

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