Matanzas Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let me get this sorted. The only spot on the radar for the next couple of weeks is Matanzas. It's a reef break, very consistent, exposed to a SW swell, and the optimum swell direction is from the southwest. It's an intermediate-level wave.

We've got a bit of a slow start here. The Sunday the 16th is a write-off—cross-shore wind, messy, not worth paddling out. The water temperature is sitting at 56°, which is just about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

Monday the 17th morning is where things get interesting. That's the first real chance. We've got glassy conditions, zero wind, and a clean 3ft swell from the WSW with a 13-second period. That's a nice, long groundswell, which will really let this reef set up. The combined wave energy is moderate at 472. It's not a huge day, but for clean, user-friendly waves, it's a good pick. Crowds are *sometimes* an issue here, so you might have a bit of company, but that's the trade-off.

The real standout, the one to circle on the calendar, is Wednesday the 19th morning. Swell is up to 7ft from the WSW, period is 15 seconds, and we've got a clean, cross-off wind from the NNE. The combined energy is strong at 1972. This is excellent surf for experienced surfers—anything over 5ft is getting too big for beginners, and at 7ft you'll want your wits about you. The reef will handle that long-period energy well, giving you proper shaped waves with good gaps between sets.

After that, the week rolls on with moderate, workable swells, but the wind keeps it from being perfect. Thursday the 20th and Friday the 21st are okay, but lumpy cross-chop spoils it. Then we hit a quiet patch around Sunday the 23rd with small, weak, short-period 3ft–3ft swells. That’s a lull of about a couple of days with nothing special.

The second week looks promising again. Tuesday the 25th morning has a tiny 2ft swell but with offshore wind from the east and a 15-second period, so it will be clean and lined up. Not big, but fun.

But the big one, the one you really want to wait for, is Sunday the 30th morning. We're looking at 8ft from the WSW, clean cross-off wind from the NNE, and the combined wave energy is pumping at 2789. That's serious power, only for experienced surfers. The 12-second period will push in some meaty sets. After that, Monday the 31st sees the swell peak at 12ft with a 16-second period, combined energy of 6186, but the wind turns moderate cross-shore, which will mess up the face a bit. That's big, powerful, and only for the brave. The Sunday morning is the cleaner, better window for that late push.

So overall, don't bother with this weekend. Aim for Monday morning the 17th for a glassy intro, and lock in Wednesday the 19th morning and Sunday the 30th morning as the standouts. The long-range stuff at the end of the month is looking promising, but it's a ways out, so keep an eye on it.

Rusty.

Read more