Riet River Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get into it.

The extended forecast is a bit of a mixed bag for now. We’ve got a run of days with some size, but the wind gods aren’t doing us any favors for a good stretch. The first real window that gets the stoke going is a long way off, so we’ll have to be patient.

Starting with the immediate forecast, there’s clean surf on Saturday morning down at Riet River (Garden Route). We’re seeing 6ft of SSW swell with a 14-second period, and that’s packing a moderate punch with combined energy of 1474. The cross-off wind will keep it clean, but the call is questionable tide conditions. The water’s sitting at about average for this time of year. It’s surfable, but it’s not the standout.

Sunday keeps things chunky but messy. The morning has 10ft of SW swell, but a strong cross-off wind at 25 mph makes it tricky. The afternoon drops to 7ft with a proper offshore W wind at 19 mph, which is where you’d want to be. Cleaner, but the energy is still high at 2009.

Monday still has some push, with 8ft SSW swell in the morning, but the wind is cross-off, not fully offshore. The afternoon turns more cross-shore with an onshore component, so it gets lumpier. This is a patch where you’re working for it.

Now, here’s the rough patch. From Tuesday the 11th through the 18th, the forecast is pretty grim. The wind is mostly onshore or cross-onshore, and the swell gets inconsistent and small. There are a few moments with some long-period energy, like Thursday morning with 4ft at 17 seconds, but the wind is just ruining it. The energy is moderate at 1254, but it’s a mess. This is a solid week-plus of poor to marginal conditions. If you’re desperate, there’s a tiny window on Sunday the 16th with a small 2ft clean wave in the morning, but it’s barely a ripple.

The real standout is a long way off. Saturday the 22nd is where things change. The morning shows 10ft of SW swell, but the period is a short 8 seconds, so it’s going to be a bit jumbled. The winds are light and cross-off, which will keep it clean, but it’s for more experienced surfers at that size. The afternoon is the one to circle. We’re talking 13ft of SW swell with an 11-second period. That’s a lot of water, with combined energy hitting a strong 4135. The wind is light and cross-off again, so it’s going to be clean and powerful. This is expert territory for sure. Riet River is a point break, and this long-period groundswell is going to be right in its wheelhouse. The catch is, it’s 16 days out, so treat it as a promising but less certain call.

Sunday the 23rd will still have good size, 8ft at 12 seconds, with a moderate cross-off wind, but it’ll be a step down from the day before.

So, if you can wait, that Saturday the 22nd afternoon is the one. The rest of the run is mostly about picking the cleanest scraps. The setup is more interesting for a kite if you’re into that, especially during the windy and poor quality days.

Rusty.

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