Riet River Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty. Let's get into it.

We’ve got a real mixed bag coming our way at Riet River. The pattern starts with some solid, albeit short-lived, swell, then turns into a bit of a waiting game before a second pulse of energy shows up much later.

Friday, August 7th is the standout. The early morning session is the one to circle. We’re looking at a clean 7 ft SSW swell at 12 seconds, with a light cross-offshore breeze. The water is a cold 60°, which is a massive 8° colder than normal for this time of year, so bring the thickest wetsuit you own. The wave energy is strong (1177). The wind stays good for the morning, but by the afternoon, the wind swings onshore and freshens, killing it completely. So get in early.

Saturday, August 8th, is a step down. The swell is still solid at 6 ft from the SSW, but the wind is a moderate to fresh breeze from the SW, keeping things a bit bumpy. The period stretches to 14 seconds, giving it some real grunt (1463), but it won't be as clean as Friday morning.

Sunday, August 9th, the swell is pumping at 10 ft, but it’s pinned under a strong breeze and rain, making it a messy, blown-out mess. The wave energy is massive (2700), but for all the wrong reasons unless you’re on a kite. This one is for experts only, and even then, it’s a tough call.

From Monday, August 10th, through to the end of the second week, the story is mostly wind and mush. The swell drops, and the wind stays onshore or cross-onshore from the east and northeast, with speeds often pushing 18-28 mph. The wave energy drops into the hundreds, and conditions are consistently described as poor or marginal. There’s a brief window on Sunday, August 16th, where the wind turns light and cross-offshore from the NNW, but the swell is down to a weak 3 ft from the SW (253). It’s better than nothing, but it’s a long way from the earlier action.

Things look more promising again towards the end of the forecast. From Wednesday, August 20th, the wind starts to trend offshore. The swell builds back up, reaching 8 ft from the SW on Saturday, August 22nd, with a strong offshore wind (1738). That’s a powerful groundswell, but with a 28 mph offshore, it’ll be smooth as glass but incredibly hard to paddle into. That’s expert territory right there.

So, to sum it up: your best bet is Friday morning, August 7th, and keep an eye on the offshore winds around August 20-22nd for the next pulse of proper swell, though it’s a long way out and less certain.

Rusty.

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