Kaifu Rivermouth Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s talk about Kaifu Rivermouth.

Alright, it’s a quiet start for the foreseeable future. This spot is known to be inconsistent, and the next week and a half is a real tester. For the first several days, from Wednesday the 26th through to the start of September, there’s nothing to get excited about. Small, weak swell, mostly onshore or cross-shore winds, and a lot of “poor surf conditions” in the mix. You’ll be sitting this one out.

The first real flicker of something better shows up on Tuesday the 1st of September. Wave heights climb to around 5ft from the south, with a very long period of 15 seconds – that’s proper groundswell energy – and the combined energy jumps to 1381 (moderate). But the wind is onshore from the SE at 12 mph, and the comments are still poor. The clean-up is still a way off.

The big change comes on Wednesday the 2nd of September. Swell jumps to a solid 10ft from the south, with a very long 16-second period – proper groundswell. The combined energy rockets to 4186 (very strong). But here’s the catch: the wind is cross-onshore from the SSE at 19 mph, creating lumpy conditions. This is big, powerful, and messy. For expert surfers only – way too big for beginners, and that wind kills the quality.

Thursday the 3rd of September still has 10ft swell in the morning dropping to 7ft in the afternoon, but the wind is still cross-onshore, making it a choppy affair. The energy is still strong (2763 and 1909), but the conditions are marginal at best. It’s more of a kite-surfing setup than a clean paddle session.

Now, if you’re patient, the real standout arrives in the second week. Monday the 7th of September morning brings a serious 13ft SSE swell, but it’s the Tuesday the 8th of September that’s the headline act. Morning sees a 13ft SSE swell with a 12-second period and clean, cross-offshore wind from the NNW – just 6 mph. The combined energy is a massive 7079 (very strong). The report calls it “exceptional surf conditions for expert surfers.” This is big, powerful, and clean. The water temperature is sitting at 84°F, a touch warmer than normal for this time of year. Tuesday afternoon glassed off with an 12ft SSE swell and virtually no wind – that’s the window for experienced surfers to score.

Wednesday the 9th of September morning is also worth a look: 10ft SSE swell, glassy, with excellent conditions for experienced surfers. It stays clean until the wind shifts onshore later in the day.

After that, the swell fades into the 10th of September with smaller but cleaner waves in the morning.

Bottom line: the first week is a write-off for decent surf. The real action is on September 8th and 9th, with big, clean groundswell. This is for experienced surfers only – those 13ft and 12ft waves are serious. The bigger swell matches the optimum SE direction perfectly, and with glassy or clean offshore winds, it’s about as good as it gets for Kaifu Rivermouth, despite being an inconsistent spot. Keep in mind, long-period groundswell like this can break a bit too straight at beach breaks, but at a rivermouth, it often lines up nicely. Crowds are possible here, so get in early.

Stay tuned, the forecast can shift, but this one looks worth waiting for.

Rusty.

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