Ketewel Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Gotta be straight with you – the next 16 days for Ketewel look like a tough stretch. The cross-onshore wind is a persistent bastard, and even when there's swell, it's sloppy.

Let's start with the big picture. We're looking at a solid period of onshore winds from the SE and ESE, just hammering the place. The water temp is sitting at 81°F which is about normal for this time of year, nothing unusual there. The first proper surf window we can talk about is Wednesday, July 22nd, but it's a write-off.

From Wednesday morning (July 22) right through to the end of the month, it's a bad run. The swell is a mix of SSW groundswell, with periods around 13 to 17 seconds, and later some shorter-period SE windswell. The combined energy is moderate, but the wind is just ruining it. Every single session is marked by "poor surf conditions" – choppy, bumpy, cross-onshore trash. Not a single standout in that whole stretch.

We then get a bit of a gap. The first few days of August are still poor. Saturday the 1st is a no-go, and Sunday the 2nd sees a bump in swell to 6 ft from the SSW, with a 15-16 second period, but the wind is still a problem. Monday the 3rd is the same story.

Now, here's where it gets a little interesting, but only for the experienced crew. On Tuesday, August 4th, the swell kicks up. You're looking at 8 ft from the SSW with a long 18-second period. The energy is strong. That's a lot of water moving. For a reef break like Ketewel, that long period groundswell is going to produce some serious, powerful lines. But the wind is still cross-onshore, making it tricky. This is not for beginners – 8 ft with that power is expert-only territory, and the wind will make it ugly. The guidance says it's a "marginal" call, so it's a gamble.

Wednesday, August 5th, the swell drops to 7 ft but still with a solid 16-second period, and the wind eases slightly. The conditions are still "fairly choppy" but it's the best of a bad bunch. Still, only for the experts.

The real standout, if you can call it that, might be Thursday, August 6th. The wind drops to a light breeze from the SE at 6 mph. The swell is 6 ft from the SSW with a very long 19-second period. With the wind being light cross-onshore in the morning, it might clean up enough to offer a few good waves. That 19-second period is a proper groundswell, and it will focus on the reef. This is the only day in the whole 16-day window that has a hint of quality. Keep in mind, Ketewel is inconsistent and crowded sometimes, so you'll be sharing whatever good ones come through.

So, to sum it up: the first two weeks are a write-off. The only glimmer of hope is around the 6th of August, but it's a long way out and the forecast could change. For now, it's a waiting game.

Rusty.

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