Riet River Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, Rusty here with the South African surf outlook. We're looking at Riet River, and it’s a bit of a mixed bag spread over the next two and a half weeks. This spot is an exposed point break that needs a solid SSW groundswell to fire, and when it gets it, it can be a thing of beauty. But it's inconsistent, so you gotta pick your moments.

Let’s get into it. The water temp is about average for the time of year, nothing weird going on there.

This Saturday morning, the 25th of July, looks like a worthy kick-off. We've got a 7ft SSW groundswell rolling in with a 14-second period, giving us a solid 1825 combined energy. That’s moderate energy, but more importantly, the wind is a light cross-offshore breeze from the WSW. That’s going to put a clean face on those waves. This is excellent surf for experienced surfers, the kind of morning that reminds you why you put up with the flat spells.

Sunday the 26th is a write-off with onshore winds and choppy conditions; don’t bother.

The following week gets a bit wild. Monday morning the 27th has some size at 8ft, but a 22 mph cross-offshore wind will be howling, making it super difficult to manage. That’s one for the kamikazes only. By Tuesday the 28th, we get a pulse of serious size – 10ft SSW swell with a very long 15-second period, pumping the combined energy up to 3669. That's strong energy. But the wind is directly onshore from the ESE, ruining it. For a point break, that long period groundswell is actually good news shape-wise, but the onshore wind kills it. The setup gets so big and onshore that it might be more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

There's a gap of poor, small, or blown-out surf for several days after that, right through the end of the month and into the start of August.

Now, the standout is Sunday the 2nd of August. After a long dry spell, we get a beautiful little window. The morning is a bit meh, but the afternoon session is where it’s at. A clean 4ft SSW swell arrives with an incredibly long 18-second period, giving us a combined energy of 1274. The wind goes to a light cross-offshore breeze. That long-period swell will wrap beautifully around the point, offering long, lined-up walls. It’s excellent surf for experienced surfers. Because Riet River can be inconsistent, seeing it deliver like this is special. And that long period means clean, powerful lines.

The very end of the outlook gets interesting again. Friday the 7th of August is another top-tier call. The morning has an 8ft SSW swell with a 14-second period, and the combined energy is a meaty 2534. The wind is a clean cross-offshore breeze from the SW. This is big, powerful, and clean for experts. The afternoon holds 7ft with the same clean wind. Then on Sunday the 9th of August, we see a monster 12ft SSW swell with an 11-second period and 3229 combined energy, but with light cross-offshore winds. That's huge, deep-water energy. Too big for most, but for a confident crew on the right point, it’s a dream. Remember, this is still a long-range call, so it's promising but not locked in yet.

So if you're heading out, keep the 25th of July and the afternoon of the 2nd of August circled. And keep an eye on the 7th and 9th of August – those could be the real monsters if the wind plays ball.

Rusty out.

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