Montanita Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ve got to be straight with you – the next couple of weeks at Montanita are a bit of a mixed bag, and honestly, we’re looking at a long stretch of nothing special before things start to get interesting. The first week is mostly a write-off, but there’s a glimmer of hope in the second week if you’re patient.

We start off with a pretty grim run. From Tuesday the 21st of July right through to the end of that first week, the waves are small, the wind is a persistent cross-onshore or onshore, and the energy is just not there. Tuesday morning shows a weak 3 ft swell from the southwest, with a period of 13 seconds, but the cross-onshore wind from the southwest at 6 mph is making it messy. The combined energy is a weak 342, and it’s just not worth paddling out. That afternoon gets worse. The next few days are a real grind – Wednesday the 22nd is more of the same, with a short period 7-second swell at 3 ft and a cross-on breeze. Honestly, it’s poor.

There’s a bit of a jump on Friday the 24th of July, with a longer period groundswell of 21 seconds coming in from the southwest, but the swell height is only 2 ft. The energy is moderate at 684, but the wind is onshore, making it a tough call. The morning of Saturday the 25th has a similar story: 3 ft swell from the southwest, 19-second period, moderate energy of 702, but the wind is cross-onshore from the south. It’s still marginal. Sunday the 26th is clear overhead but the wind is still cross-onshore, and the 3 ft southwest swell at 17 seconds is just not enough to get excited about.

Now, here’s where it changes. The best on offer looks to be Monday the 27th of July through to Thursday the 30th. The swell picks up, and the energy starts to pump. On Monday morning, we’ve got a 4 ft swell from the west-southwest, with a strong 18-second period, and the combined energy hits 1086 – that’s a solid, powerful groundswell. The wind is still a light cross-onshore, but it’s manageable. Tuesday the 28th is the real standout: the swell jumps to 5 ft from the southwest, period of 16 seconds, and the energy is a beefy 1263. This is the biggest swell of the window. At 5 ft, it’s getting a bit too big for beginners, but for the advanced crew, this is where it’s at. The wind is light from the southwest, so it’s cross-on, but the sheer power of the swell will make up for it. The long period (16 seconds) means the waves will have plenty of shape and energy, but watch out for the longer gaps between sets at this point break. The break is exposed to the southwest, which is the optimum swell direction, so it’ll be handling it well. Crowds are often here, so expect some company.

After that, the swell gradually drops. Wednesday the 29th and Thursday the 30th still have decent 4 ft to 5 ft swell from the west-southwest and southwest, with periods around 14-15 seconds, and energy in the 700s. The wind stays light, so it’ll be okay, but not as good as Tuesday. By Friday the 31st, it’s back to 3 ft and dropping, and the rest of the run into the first week of August is small and weak again.

So, if you’re chasing the best, mark Tuesday the 28th of July. That 5 ft southwest groundswell with strong energy is the pick of the bunch. The water temperature is about average for this time of year, so no drama there. For the rest, it’s a waiting game. The first week is a dud, but the following week has a few salvagable sessions, especially Monday through Thursday.

Rusty.

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