Rancho Santini Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the table over the next couple of weeks. First thing you gotta know, it's gonna be a lean start. There's pretty much nothing doing until later in the run, so don't hold your breath for the first week.

We're looking at Rancho Santini, a beginner-friendly spot that's consistent and exposed to the west swell. The water temp is a toasty 72°, which is 5° warmer than normal for this time of year – that's seriously warm, you'll be in boardshorts for sure.

Right out of the gate, Thursday the 23rd is a write-off with marginal surf and poor conditions. That theme pretty much sticks for the next several days – we've got a long gap with no real standouts. The swell is just too small and the conditions are iffy with cross-onshore winds and a lot of chop. The combined wave energy is weak in that first week (around 600 to 900 range) and the scores are all low.

Friday the 24th has a tiny 2ft swell but the period is a massive 24 seconds, which is very long period groundswell. That's a tricky combo; it means better-shaped waves but at a beach setup like this, it can break straight and make it hard to get a clean ride. The onshore wind from the west will keep it clean enough, but the size just isn't there to get excited.

We finally see a real change around Friday the 13th of August... wait, sorry, let me check the dates. It's Friday the 31st of July that things start to look a bit more interesting. That morning we've got a 5ft swell from the south with a 15-second period, and the energy is pumping at 1122. The wind is light and offshore from the WSW, so that's a major positive for clean waves. This is likely the best of the whole window – not huge, but with that period and glassy conditions it could offer some fun, lined-up sets. It's big enough to be a little much for absolute beginners at 5ft, but it's not crazy. The afternoon pushes to 6ft with 14-second period and still offshore, but the wind bumps up a notch – still clean, but a bit more push.

Saturday the 1st of August keeps the 6ft swell from the south early, dropping to 5ft in the afternoon. Period drops to 12 seconds, so it's a bit weaker, but the wind stays light offshore. The energy is still moderate (around 900-800). Not as good as Friday, but still the best of the week.

After that, it fades. Sunday the 2nd drops to under 3ft with cross-shore wind, and the rest of the run into the first week of August is all below 3ft with weak energy and choppy cross-onshore winds. The last few days – around the 5th to 7th – are truly poor, with tiny swell and moderate onshore winds making a mess of things. There's nothing worth paddling for in that final stretch.

So, the standout is Friday the 31st of July morning: clean, offshore wind, 5ft south swell with a 15-second period and solid energy (1122). That's your best bet. Saturday the 1st morning is next best. For the rest, you're pretty much waiting for the weekend and hoping forecasts improve.

Rusty

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