Ketewel Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ll be straight with you – the next couple of weeks at Ketewel (Bali) are going to test your patience. The overall vibe is a persistent cross-onshore wind, mostly from the SE, which is keeping things a bit lumpy and messy. The swell will be there, but the quality is questionable for paddle surfing most of the time. This is a sheltered reef break that loves a solid S swell, and we’ve got plenty of that, but the wind is the story.

The water temperature is sitting at 27°, which is pretty much average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

Thursday the 13th kicks things off with a solid 8ft S groundswell, with a long period of 16 seconds. The combined wave energy is strong, at 3707, so there’s plenty of power. But with a 15 km/h SE cross-onshore, it’s going to be choppy. For an advanced crew only at that size. The rest of that first weekend, from Friday through Sunday, is a similar story: consistent 6ft to 7ft SSW groundswell, with periods between 15 and 17 seconds, but the same cross-onshore wind keeps things from really cleaning up. The energy stays moderate to strong, ranging from around 1443 up to 2754.

Then we hit a real lull. Monday the 17th and Tuesday the 18th morning are poor, with the swell dropping to 4ft – 5ft – not worth paddling out for. Tuesday afternoon shows a little pulse, with a 6ft SSW groundswell and a period of 16 seconds, and the wind eases to a light 10 km/h ESE cross-onshore, which at least keeps the surface less choppy. Still, the score is marginal.

The middle of the week, Wednesday the 19th and Thursday the 20th, looks to be the true standout of the whole forecast. The swell jumps back up to 8ft from the SSW, with a very long period of 18 seconds on Wednesday morning. The combined energy is pumping – 3086 on Wednesday morning and 3653 in the arvo. That’s strong, powerful, long-period groundswell. This kind of long-period energy is best for a reef like Ketewel, bringing proper walls, but the long gaps between sets will make paddling out easier. The downside: it’s still cross-onshore at 15 km/h, so it won’t be glassy clean, but the power is undeniable. For advanced surfers, this is the window to look at. From Thursday onwards, the swell holds around 8ft with 16-second periods, but the wind stays the same story.

Friday the 21st sees the wind pick up to 20 km/h, making conditions choppy and poor. The following weekend into the next week, from the 22nd to the 26th, is a mixed bag. The swell drops and rises between 5ft and 8ft, with periods from 14 to 17 seconds, but the cross-onshore wind never really lets go. The energy is moderate, but the quality remains marginal at best. There’s a stretch from Sunday the 23rd through Tuesday the 25th where the swell dips below 5ft and the conditions are poor – a real blank run of a few days.

Thursday the 27th and Friday the 28th see a final pulse of swell, with 6ft to 7ft SSW groundswell, period around 15 seconds, and the wind even goes onshore at times. The energy on Friday afternoon picks up to 3132, but the wind direction shifts a bit to SSE with onshore flow, which might offer a slight improvement in the surface texture, but still not clean.

So, to sum it up: if you’re an experienced surfer and can work with a bit of chop, the best bet is Wednesday the 19th and Thursday the 20th for the raw power. Otherwise, it’s a frustrating couple of weeks with only marginal windows for the rest of us. This is a spot that rarely gets perfect, and this forecast reflects that. The consistent swell and the reef setup might actually look more interesting for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer for most of the period.

Rusty.

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