Ketewel Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty comin' at ya from the Bali coast. Gotta be straight with you – the outlook for the next couple of weeks at Ketewel is a real heartbreaker. We've got a solid run of swell on the way, but the wind gods are just not playing ball. It's a persistent cross-onshore breeze from the southeast, morning to night, and that's going to keep things choppy and messy for the majority of the forecast period.

We're looking at a long dry spell to start with. From now through the 18th and all the way to the morning of the 22nd, it's just a grim picture of poor surf conditions. The wind is relentless, and the wave quality is off. We'll see some swell building, but it's all for nothing with that wind direction. The water temp is about average for the time of year, so nothing wild there.

The first real glimmer of hope doesn't show up until the afternoon of the 22nd, and even then it's a tough sell. The morning of the 20th sees a bump in swell – 6ft from the SSW with a period of 17 seconds, giving a combined energy of (2237) – but it's still tagged as poor surf conditions. The wind just won't ease up.

The real standout, if you can call it that, is the period from the 28th of July through the 29th. The swell holds steady around 5ft to 5ft from the SSW, with a period dropping from 18 to 15 seconds. The energy is moderate to strong, with readings of (1611) and (1545). The wind eases to a gentle breeze, but it's still cross-onshore, so the surf will be "fairly choppy" instead of full-on choppy. The forecast nudges up to "marginal" at that point. For a spot that's already inconsistent and sheltered, this is about as good as it's going to get. The swell is right in the sweet spot for the optimum S direction, and it's manageable for an advanced surfer.

Further out, Saturday the 2nd of August looks like another strong pulse of SSW swell, hitting 7ft with an 18-second period and a combined energy of (2667). Again, the wind is a problem, but it's worth keeping an eye on. If that southeasterly eases even a fraction, this could be the best of the whole run. For now, it's a long-range promise with a lot of uncertainty.

So, for the next 16 days, the only real window is that marginal stretch on the 28th and 29th. The rest is a write-off. If you're a local, you know this place can be fickle, and a blank run like this isn't unheard of. The consistent cross-onshore wind is the real killer here. Keep your hopes up for the 2nd of August, but for now, it's a waiting game.

Rusty.

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