Kaifu Rivermouth Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Righto, grab a coffee and settle in, because the next couple of weeks at Kaifu Rivermouth are a proper rollercoaster. We’ve got a long wait ahead before anything really gets going, so don’t bother paddling out just yet.

The first week is a total write-off. From now through to Monday the 6th of July, the swell is tiny—nothing above 2ft—and the energy is pathetic, with the combined swell energy sitting between 31 and 46 (weak). It’s mostly crossed-up and messy, with nothing worth waxing up for. A few glassy moments on Friday the 3rd and Saturday the 4th, but with barely a ripple of swell, it’s more of a paddle-around than anything else.

Then things start to change. On Monday the 6th into Tuesday the 7th, the swell builds slowly, but it’s still pretty average. Monday morning sees a 2ft swell at 15 seconds from the SE, with the energy jumping to 161 (moderate), and it’s glassy—so you could get a few, but it’s not going to set the world on fire. Tuesday morning brings a 6ft swell from the SE at 16 seconds, energy up to 1670 (strong), but the wind is onshore, making it look pretty ordinary. Not the time to call in sick.

Now, the standout window arrives on Friday the 10th of July. That morning the stars align. We’ve got an absolute monster 15ft groundswell from the S, with a very long period of 17 seconds, and the wind goes glassy from the east. The combined swell energy is a huge 13661 (very strong)—this is proper power. For experts only at that size, this is the one to chase. The crowd factor means it’ll likely get a crew, but with those conditions, it’s worth the company. Keep in mind that this long-period groundswell can make the rivermouth break a bit straight, but when it’s that clean and that big, it’s going to be special.

Saturday the 11th is still pumping with a 12ft swell from the SSW at 16 seconds, glassy again in the morning, energy at 6742 (very strong)—another excellent day for experienced surfers. After that, the swell starts to wind down through the week, dropping to 6ft by Sunday the 12th and getting messier with cross-onshore winds.

From about the 13th of July onwards, it fades into a long stretch of tiny, weak surf. We’re looking at a solid 3 to 4 day gap with nothing worth a mention, until the morning of Thursday the 16th of July, when a small clean 4ft swell from the SSW at 11 seconds shows up with glassy conditions and moderate energy (315). It’s not a headline, but it’s a nice little session if you’re desperate.

So, overall: the first six days are a bust, then it fires up for a few days around the 10th and 11th, then it fades into nothing again. If you’re keen, pencil in Friday the 10th (morning) and Saturday the 11th (morning) as the real standouts—just make sure you’re an expert and ready for a crowd.

Rusty.

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