Ricks Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. First off, let’s be straight with you – this outlook for Ricks Reef is a bit of a mixed bag. We’ve got a solid stretch of consistent swell, but the wind is gonna be a real headache for most of it. The water temp is sitting at about 85°F, which is pretty much spot on for this time of year, nothing unusual there.

The action kicks off Saturday the 8th of August. We’re looking at a 7ft swell from the west, with a 10-second period. The combined energy is moderate at 1013. But honestly, the wind is a messy cross-shore from the southwest at 16 mph, chopping it up. The forecast is calling it marginal, and I’d agree – it’s not a day to get excited about.

Sunday the 9th and Monday the 10th are more of the same, really. The swell bumps up to 8ft, still from the west, and the energy climbs a bit (1312 on Sunday morning). But that fresh cross-shore wind (19 mph) is just going to keep the surface lumpy and cross-chop. It’s surfable, but it’s work, not fun. By Monday afternoon, the wind turns cross-onshore, and the quality drops right off.

Tuesday the 11th is when it gets a bit chunky. The swell hits 8ft from the west, period stretches to 11 seconds, and the combined energy is a strong 1512. That’s a lot of power for a reef break. But the wind is straight cross-onshore, making it a lumpy, choppy mess. This is firmly in the “experts only” territory if you’re even considering it, and honestly, the conditions are so poor it’s a hard pass for paddle surfing. If you’re into kites, the setup might look more interesting with that strong wind and solid swell.

We drift through the rest of the week with the swell staying around the 7ft to 8ft mark, but the wind stays stubbornly cross or cross-onshore. The energy dips a bit mid-week, but it’s still moderate. There’s really no stand-out window until we get a change.

Now, hold on to your board, because the best of the whole forecast is a true standout. On Tuesday the 18th of August, things go glassy. We’ve got a 5ft west swell, 9-second period, and the wind goes offshore from the ESE at 3 mph in the morning, then goes glassy in the afternoon. The combined energy is moderate at 452. This is clean. This is the one. The wave comment says “expect good surf conditions,” and I’m telling you, that Tuesday is your target. The swell is a bit smaller by Wednesday the 19th (4ft), but with glassy conditions and a light offshore in the morning, it’s still a great little session for the more experienced crew, as the reef will be working nicely.

After that, the swell drops off a cliff. By Thursday the 20th, we’re down to 2ft, and the energy is weak (92). The rest of the 16-day window is a write-off with tiny, weak waves and strong, messy winds. There’s a big gap of poor conditions from the 20th right through to the end.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a grind with onshore winds and a lot of water moving around. The clear highlight is that Tuesday the 18th and Wednesday the 19th – that’s when you want to be out there. It’s not a huge swell, but it’s clean, and that’s worth its weight in gold at Ricks Reef. Keep an eye on the calendar and don’t bother with the rest.

Rusty.

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