Nera Rivermouth Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Well, grab a coffee and pull up a stump, because I’ve got to be straight with you right from the start. The next two weeks look pretty bleak for a paddle, to be honest. We’ve got a long stretch of tiny, weak waves and messy conditions that’ll have you thinking twice before dragging the board off the roof. The first real glimmer of anything surfable doesn’t even show up until the second week, and even then, it’s not exactly a classic.

We kick off on Thursday, 6th August, at Nera Rivermouth. It’s a river and beach setup, beginner-friendly, but it’s inconsistent and often sheltered. Don’t expect much. The swell is a measly 2 ft from the SSW, with a period of 13 seconds and combined energy of just 102 (weak). The wind is offshore from the ENE at 12 mph, which keeps the surface clean, but there’s simply no power in the water. The water temp is about average for the time of year. This stretch of poor surf continues day after day—through Friday, the weekend, and into early next week. Swell heights barely get above 0.7 ft to 1 ft, periods are all over the place, and the energy readings are pitiful (mostly single and low double digits). The wind flips around from offshore to cross and cross-on, and for a few sessions it goes glassy, but it’s all for nothing because there’s no wave to ride.

The only break in the monotony comes on Wednesday, 13th August, when the swell bumps up to 4 ft to 4 ft from the SW and SSW, with periods around 12 seconds. The combined energy jumps to 358 and 390 (moderate), but the wind is onshore or cross-on, and the conditions are described as poor. It’s not a goer.

Then we hit the real action, such as it is. From Saturday, 15th August, the swell really starts pumping, but it’s the wrong kind of energy for clean paddle surfing. On Saturday morning, the swell hits 6 ft from the WSW, period 10 seconds, with a combined energy of 1181 (strong). By afternoon, it’s 7 ft from the SW, period 12 seconds, energy 1466 (strong). That’s legit swell, but the wind is cross-on from the south at 12 mph, and the conditions are poor. For a beach and river break, this setup is more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. The same goes for Sunday, 16th August, and Monday, 17th August, with swell heights between 7 ft and 8 ft, periods 11 to 12 seconds, and energy readings through the roof (1008 to 1694). The wind is cross or cross-on, and the conditions are only marginal at best. This is expert-only territory, and even then, the wind is going to chop it up.

The one standout, the only window that might be worth a look, is Tuesday, 18th August, in the morning. The swell drops to 6 ft from the SSW, period 12 seconds, with a combined energy of 843 (moderate). The wind goes cross-offshore from the ESE at 9 mph, and the comment says “expect good surf conditions.” That’s our pick. The swell direction (SSW) matches the break’s optimum (SW) close enough, and the wind is clean. It’s still a solid size – around 6 ft – so it’s not for beginners, but for competent surfers, this is the session to aim for. The break is inconsistent, so don’t expect sets to roll in every minute, but the quality should be there. Crowds are possible, as it’s sometimes busy.

After that, Wednesday, 19th August, offers a smaller, more manageable 4 ft to 5 ft from the SSW and SW, with clean cross-offshore winds in the morning, but the energy is lower (476 and 394). It’s surfable, but nothing special. By Thursday, 20th August, the swell fades back to nothing, and the last few days of the forecast are dead again.

So, if you’re hanging for a wave, the best bet is the morning of Tuesday, 18th August. The long-range forecast is promising, but it’s a week and a half away, so don’t book the day off just yet. The rest of the 16 days is a write-off for paddle surfing, with a lot of small, weak, or wind-affected junk. It’s the kind of run that reminds you why you check the forecast before loading the car.

Rusty.

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