Riet River Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day. Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming down the line at Riet River. We’ve got a stretch of clean, solid swell ahead, but you’re gonna have to pick your windows. The water’s running real cold—about 60° with a big temperature anomaly, nearly 7° colder than it should be this time of year. Suit up properly if you’re heading out.

The first real window kicks off Wednesday morning, August 19th. The swell is a proper 8ft from the SSW with a 12-second period, and it’s glassy. The energy’s strong, too, sitting at 1596. This is excellent for experienced surfers. Wednesday afternoon stays big but the wind swings to a 25 km/h cross-off, which is still clean but a lot more push.

Thursday, August 20th, is a step up in size. You’re looking at 10ft in the morning and 12ft by the afternoon, both from the SSW with a 14-second period. The energy’s cranking—3294 and 3934. This is serious, powerful groundswell. It’s only for surfers who know what they’re doing. The winds are cross-off at 20 km/h, so it’ll be lined up, but it’s raw out there.

Friday morning, August 21st, has a bit of a letdown—7ft with a light cross-on breeze. It’s rideable but not great. Friday afternoon turns poor as the onshore wind picks up to 25 km/h.

Then we get a big blow on Saturday. A 45 km/h offshore wind on the 22nd morning makes it hard to paddle into, even if the 6ft SSE swell looks clean. There’s a bigger 10ft SW swell Saturday afternoon but that strong wind’s still tearing things up. It’s not your day to be comfortable in the water.

Sunday, August 23rd, settles down. Morning is your standout. 7ft of SSW swell, 11-second period, with a light cross-off breeze. The energy’s a solid 1135 and the water’s going to be clean. This is excellent surf and probably the most user-friendly of the bigger swells. The afternoon gets a little crossed up but it’s still okay.

Monday, August 24th, brings a cleaner, smaller wave. Morning sees 6ft and the afternoon drops to 5ft. Light cross-off winds both sessions. It’s not big, but it’ll be fun and lined up. The crowd situation at Riet River can be a thing, so if you’re lucky, you’ll have some room.

The rest of the week gets messy. Tuesday has onshore winds and the swell is chunky, Wednesday is onshore and choppy. Flat-ish and poor conditions run right through the 30th and into the 31st. There’s a brief moment on Thursday, August 27th, with a clean 4ft swell and light winds, but it’s small.

Looking into the first week of September, there’s a spot on September 1st. A moderate offshore wind and a 5ft SSW swell with a long 15-second period. It’s promising but a bit further out, so don’t book your travel just yet. It’s a gentle down period after that, with small swells and onshore winds so the vibe fades.

Too much size and wind on those big days will have you thinking a kite is better than a paddle board. Keep your eyes on the Wednesday and Sunday mornings—those are your best bets.

Rusty.

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