Ketewel Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, it’s Rusty here. Let’s have a look at the next 16 days for Ketewel.

First off, I’ve got to be straight with you – the first few days are a write-off. Tuesday afternoon through to Thursday afternoon, the 30th of July, is all cross-onshore winds in the 12 mph range, making for a choppy, poor surf situation. The swell is there, but it’s messy. The combined energy is moderate, hitting 621 on Tuesday and climbing to 1306 by Thursday, but it’s just not clean enough to get excited about.

We get a slight shift from Friday the 31st of July onwards. The wind drops to a light breeze, still cross-onshore, but the swell improves. It’s still marginal – the forecast calls it marginal, and I agree. The swell hangs around 4 ft to 5 ft from the SSW with a nice long period of 16 to 17 seconds, which is proper groundswell. The energy is getting strong now, around 1200 to 1300 (combined energy). But with that cross-onshore wind, it’s still a bit bumpy. It’s surfable, but not a standout.

Now, the real standout window starts Sunday the 2nd of August. The swell builds to 6 ft from the SSW, period 16 seconds, and the combined energy jumps to 1954 on Sunday morning, even hitting 2067 by the afternoon. The wind becomes a light breeze, only 6 mph on Sunday afternoon, making it significantly cleaner. This is the best of the first week. It’s not perfect, but it’s the closest we get to clean.

Moving into the second week, from Monday the 3rd of August, the swell stays solid at 5 ft to 6 ft, but the wind is predominantly cross-on or onshore, keeping it in that marginal zone. The energy remains strong, often over 1000 (combined energy). The water temperature is 81° with a normal anomaly for this time of year, so you’re in for a warm session.

The biggest swell of the whole period comes through on the 11th and 12th of August. We’re looking at 8 ft from the SSW on Tuesday afternoon the 11th, with a period of 17 seconds and a massive combined energy of 4082. That’s serious energy. But this is only for experts – anything over 8 ft at a reef break like Ketewel is not for the faint-hearted. The wind is onshore or light, so it might be a bit lumpy, but that’s a lot of power.

Honestly, the pick of the entire forecast is Sunday the 2nd of August. The swell is 6 ft from the SSW, the period is a nice 16 seconds, and the light breeze in the afternoon will give you the best chance of a clean wave. Keep in mind, Ketewel is an inconsistent break and crowds are possible, so get out there early. The rest of the window is a grind of cross-onshore wind and solid but messy swell. If you’re a solid surfer, the 11th and 12th have size, but be ready for a battle.

Rusty.

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