Rincon - Indicator Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s break it down for this stretch. Looking at the whole 16-day window, it’s a pretty flat and frustrating run, to be honest. We’ve got a long gap of tiny, poor-quality waves right from the start, and it takes over a week before we even see anything that sniffs at being rideable. The best of a quiet bunch is a day or two in early September, but don’t get your hopes up for anything epic.

We kick off on Monday the 24th of August, and honestly, it’s a write-off. Rincon - Indicator is showing tiny 0.3ft (1ft) swell from the SW with a super long 18-second period, but the combined energy is only weak (161). That’s just not enough push to do anything with, especially with onshore wind. The water temp is sitting at 70°F, which is a whopping 7°F warmer than normal – that's very unusual for this time of year, so you won’t need a thick suit, but you’ll need a board for waves that aren’t there. That poor surf sticks right through the rest of August. Monday 24th through to Sunday the 30th is just a flat spell with weak energy readings (from 52 up to 542, but mostly in the low hundreds for proper swell). The wind is mostly light and onshore or cross-onshore, making the tiny bumps messy. There’s nothing to paddle for.

Monday the 31st of August is more of the same – tiny 0.5ft (2ft) swell and light cross-onshore wind. Not worth a second look. Tuesday the 1st of September is a write-off too – a 0.5ft (2ft) wind swell from the W with a period of only 5 seconds? That’s just wind chop. The combined energy is a pathetic 19. Keep the board in the car.

Now, we finally see a glimmer on Thursday the 3rd of September. The morning brings a 4ft (1.1m) swell from the SSW with a period of 12 seconds. The combined energy jumps to a moderate 450. The wind is light and onshore (SW at 6 mph), which is a bit of a killer, but the size and period are the best we’ve seen. It’s still only a marginal call with questionable tide conditions. It’s not a standout by any means, but for this forecast window, it’s the closest thing to a wave we get.

Friday the 4th of September morning is similar – 3ft (0.8m) from the SSW, 18-second period, and light onshore wind (SSW at 3 mph). The energy is moderate at 406, but the onshore wind hurts the quality. Afternoon goes back to poor. Saturday the 5th and Sunday the 6th are more small, marginal stuff with light breeze, never really getting clean.

Then Monday the 7th of September gives us a bit of hope. The morning is a marginal 2ft (0.5m) from the SSW, but check out the afternoon: 1ft (0.4m) from the SW with a very long 20-second period! The energy is moderate (388). With the wind going light offshore (SW at 3 mph), that long-period groundswell at Rincon - Indicator could actually offer the cleanest, most lined-up waves of the whole 16 days. The problem is the size is tiny. For a point break like this, the long period will make it smooth and make paddling out easier between sets, but you’ll be searching for something to ride. The light offshore wind is a major positive for clean faces. This isn’t a bomb, but it’s the best chance at a fun, glassy session if you’re not too fussed about needing a big wave.

To sum it up: the first week and a half is a total blank. The standout, and the only real highlight, is the afternoon of Monday the 7th of September, where a very long-period groundswell meets light offshore wind at the point. Keep expectations low, but if you’re desperate, that’s your window.

Rusty.

Read more