Rancho Santini Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what’s happening at Rancho Santini.

Honestly, looking at the whole 16-day window, I’ve got to be straight with you – it’s a tough run for paddle surfing. The first week and a half is mostly flat or blown out, with only a few late-period windows that look *marginal* at best. There’s no standout session that’s going to get the blood pumping, but if you’re desperate, the last few days of the run might offer a little something.

Right now, we’re in a quiet spell. Through mid-July, the swell is tiny (1ft to 2ft) and the wind is mostly onshore or cross-onshore, with that stubborn WNW breeze making a mess of things. The water temp is about average for the time of year, nothing to write home about. The combined energy is weak to moderate (under 419), so don’t expect any push.

The first real flicker of hope comes on the 22nd of July. The morning still looks a bit ordinary, but by Wednesday afternoon, the swell bumps up to 5ft from the SSW with a period of 14 seconds. The wind swings light and cross-onshore from the WNW at 5 km/h, which is about as good as it gets in this forecast. The combined energy jumps to 1085 (moderate), and while it’s still “marginal,” it’s the best we’ve seen. That’s a small window for a wave.

Moving into the 23rd and 24th, the swell stays in the 5ft to 6ft range from the SSW with a shorter period of 13 seconds. The wind is light and onshore to cross-onshore. The combined energy stays solid (973 to 1151), but the wind is never quite clean enough. It’s not going to be a classic, just a bit of a bumpy, choppy ride.

The 25th of July sees the swell drop a touch to 4ft to 5ft, and the wind is still mixed. Then on the 26th, it all fades again, dropping back to 2ft long-period SW swell (19 seconds) – looks good on paper, but with clean onshore wind, it’s just a messy, closed-out shorebreak. The last few days of the month (27th and 28th) are similar, with small, weak swell and not much to get excited about.

So, the real pick of the whole run? If you’re hanging for a wave, you’ve got to target Wednesday the 22nd of July afternoon. The swell is 5ft from the SSW, the wind is light and cross-onshore, and the energy is there. It’s not perfect, but it’s the only time the numbers line up even close to half-decent. For a beginner spot that’s consistent, it’s still a bit of a wait. The rest of the run is a write-off.

Rusty.

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