Reef la Maddalenetta Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a hard look at what’s coming up for the next couple of weeks.

First off, I gotta be straight with you – this is a classic case of "hurry up and wait." We’ve got a good, long stretch of dead flat or near-flat conditions to start. From Tuesday the 11th of August all the way through to the weekend, there’s basically nothing rideable. The combined energy sits at zero or just a measly 1, and the swell heights are a joke. It’s glassy and clean in the mornings, but with no waves to clean up, it doesn’t matter. You’ll be sitting on your board doing nothing.

That little bump of swell starting around the 18th of August looks promising at first, but don’t get fooled. We see a few days with swell heights up to 3ft from the WNW, but the period is short (6-7 seconds), and the wind is a mess – cross-onshore most afternoons. The combined energy is weak, peaking at 59 on the morning of the 19th. It’s still not enough to get excited about. The surf quality is poor.

Then the real tease comes on the 23rd and 24th of August. Swell builds from the WNW and NW, with heights around 4ft to 5ft, and the period stretches to 8 seconds. The combined energy finally hits three digits: 142 on the 23rd afternoon and 258 on the 24th afternoon. That’s moderate energy, but here’s the killer – the wind is onshore from the west, turning it into a messy, choppy lump. It’s a no-go unless you’re a kite surfer. The setup at Reef la Maddalenetta is a reef, so it wants clean conditions, and it’s not getting them.

Now, here’s the one moment that could save this whole outlook. Tuesday morning, the 25th of August. This is the standout. The early session is where it’s at. We’ll see a solid 6ft swell from the WNW with a period of 8 seconds. The combined energy is a strong 444, meaning there’s some proper power in the water. The wind is from the NE at only 3 mph, which is cross-offshore and glassy. That means clean, peeling waves at this reef. The swell direction (WNW) matches the optimum direction for this break (W), so it should line up real nice. This is a solid intermediate-level swell – 6ft is a bit much for beginners, but it’s a playground for the rest of us. Just keep in mind, this break is a rare one – it rarely breaks, so when it does, you go. It’s also a bit exposed, so that energy will hit it hard. Crowds are sometimes an issue, but on a Tuesday morning, you might get lucky.

The quality drops off hard on Tuesday afternoon as the wind swings NW and gets up to 16 mph, chopping it up. Wednesday the 26th of August is a drop back to 3ft and weak energy (62), so it’s back to the drawing board.

So, to wrap it up: bone dry for the first week and a half, then a few days of frustrating onshore junk, and finally one golden morning on Tuesday the 25th. Don’t sleep on it. That’s your best shot.

Rusty.

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