Riet River Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what the next couple of weeks are shaping up to be at Riet River.

It’s a bit of a mixed bag, but there are some real gems hiding in this forecast if you’re patient. The swell is inconsistent at this point break, so don’t expect a constant wave train. The best windows are going to be those glassy mornings when the wind drops out and the groundswell lines up. Water temps are sitting around 63°, which is 5° colder than usual for this time of year – that’s a significant drop, so you’ll want a good 4/3 or boots.

We’ve got a clean start on Monday, July 20th, with a moderate offshore breeze from the WSW at 16 mph and a 7 ft SW swell. The wave energy is sitting at 1433, which is moderate. The wind is going to cross-off in the afternoon, dropping the swell to 5 ft, but it won’t be as clean.

Tuesday, July 21st, the morning is the real standout. The wind drops to a whisper from the WSW at only 3 mph, going cross-off, with a clean 3 ft SSW groundswell. The period is a long 16 seconds, which means proper, well-shaped lines. The energy is weak at 994, but with those conditions, it’s going to be a fun, cruisy session. The afternoon sees the wind switch to a light cross-on, but the swell bumps up to 6 ft with a 14-second period – still clean enough for a cheeky paddle.

Wednesday, July 22nd, is a write-off. The wind is onshore from the NE, making a mess of the 6 ft swell. Not worth your time.

Thursday, July 23rd, brings back the offshore juice, but the wind is howling from the WSW at 19 mph in the morning and 22 mph in the afternoon. The swell is 8 ft and 10 ft respectively, but the period drops to a short 8-9 seconds. It’s going to be a bumpy, wind-affected mess. The afternoon swell is over 8 ft, so that’s experts only anyway.

Now, here’s the best one on offer. Friday, July 24th, morning. The stars align. The water is glassy, zero wind from the SSW. The swell is a solid 8 ft, but the period is a massive 16 seconds from the SSW. The combined wave energy is a very strong 3771. This is proper groundswell. For a point break like Riet River, that long period is going to draw in beautifully. It’s for experienced surfers at that size, but if you’ve got the skills, this is the session to be in the water. The afternoon goes to absolute crap with an onshore Easterly, so get out early.

Saturday, July 25th, morning is another glassy beauty. The wind is from the NE at 3 mph, making it glassy. The swell is 8 ft at 14 seconds from the SSW with a strong energy reading of 2188. It’s a very close second to the Friday. The afternoon turns into a choppy mess again.

The whole week from Sunday, July 26th, through to Thursday, July 31st, is largely average. The wind is all over the shop, mostly cross-onshore, and the swell quality drops off. The size hangs around 5 ft to 6 ft, but the energy is weak and the conditions are choppy. There’s a window on Tuesday, July 28th, morning with a cross-off wind and a huge 13 ft SW swell, but the period is only 11 seconds and the energy is a strong 3502. It’s going to be a lumpy, powerful beast – experts only, and even then, very challenging.

The next real standout is Saturday, August 1st. The morning brings a gentle offshore from the W at 9 mph, with a massive 13 ft SSW swell at 11 seconds. The energy is strong at 3478, and the conditions are clean. This is another big day for experienced surfers. The afternoon is even bigger, with the energy jumping to an extreme 6116, but the swell is still 13 ft and the wind is cross-off from the NW. It’s a heavy, powerful swell.

After that, Sunday, August 2nd, is a total no-go. The wind is a near-gale from the WNW at 31 mph, making it impossible to paddle out, even with a 10 ft S swell. The rest of the period into August 4th is a mix of poor conditions, strong onshore winds, and shifting swell directions. Not worth looking at.

So, to wrap it up: The absolute best on offer is the morning of Friday, July 24th. Glassy, 8 ft of long-period SSW groundswell, and a point break that will handle it perfectly. The backup is Saturday, July 25th, morning, which is also glassy. If you’re an experienced surfer and want huge waves, aim for Saturday, August 1st. Get out there and get some.

Rusty.

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