Riet River Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, and I’ve got the lowdown on Riet River for the next couple of weeks. Let’s get into it.

We’ve got a run of surf coming through, but it’s a bit of a mixed bag, so you’ve gotta pick your moments. The water’s sitting at 66°, which is a touch colder than we’d normally expect for this time of year, so maybe dig out the thicker steamer.

The action kicks off this Friday afternoon, the 3rd of July. We’re looking at a solid 10ft swell from the southeast, with a 12-second period giving it some proper grunt. The combined wave energy is massive at 3153, so there’s plenty of power in the water. The wind is light and offshore out of the west, making for clean conditions. This is proper groundswell, and Riet River is a point break, so that long period will wrap in nicely and offer up some excellent, powerful waves. This one’s for experienced surfers only, though – 10ft is big and it’ll be a handful.

Saturday the 4th starts with a 8ft southeast swell, still a 12-second period, and a moderate offshore breeze from the west at 12 mph. It’s still clean and powerful, but the morning will offer the best shape before the wind backs off and swings a bit lighter in the afternoon. The wave energy is still high at 2025 in the morning, dropping to 1407 by the afternoon. A great weekend for anyone with a bit of experience.

Sunday the 5th sees the swell dropping off to 5ft with a cross-shore wind, so it gets a bit sloppy. Not the day. Monday the 6th morning has a small 4ft swell but with clean, offshore conditions – might be worth a look on a longboard, but the energy is weak at 498.

Then things get interesting again. Wednesday the 8th sees the swell picking back up, but with strong winds. By Thursday morning the 9th, we’ve got an 8ft swell but it’s onshore and messy. Not great.

The real standout, and the best bet of the whole outlook, is Friday the 10th of July. The afternoon session is looking incredible. We’ve got an 12ft swell from the south, but the period is a whopping 18 seconds – that’s very long period groundswell of the highest quality. The energy reading is off the charts at 7452. Now, the wind is a light cross-onshore, which isn’t perfect, but it’s so light it’ll barely ruffle the surface. For a point break like Riet River, that long period will set up perfectly, offering deep, grinding walls. This is a serious swell for experts only, but the quality could be absolutely unreal.

Saturday the 11th will still have size, with 10ft in the morning, but a strong cross-onshore wind will chop it up. Sunday the 12th cleans up with a light offshore and a glassy afternoon, but the swell drops to 5ft to 6ft. A fun, small day.

We see another pulse around Wednesday the 15th, with a 10ft southwest swell. The morning has a moderate offshore wind, and the afternoon is clean with a light cross-offshore. The period is a shorter 10 seconds, so it won’t have the same quality as the 18-second swell, but it’s still a wave for the experienced crew.

Thursday the 16th has an 8ft southwest swell with a 15-second period in the afternoon, which is a great combination, but the cross-onshore wind will be a slight issue. After that, the swell hangs around but the winds get tricky, with strong offshore breezes turning the ocean into a washing machine by the 18th.

So, to sum it up: this weekend is solid, but the absolute standout is Friday the 10th for the serious chargers. After that, keep an eye on the 15th and 16th for more solid, clean waves.

Stay salty,
Rusty

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