Ritoque Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, let’s have a look at what’s coming up for Ritoque. The next 16 days are a bit of a mixed bag, but there’s a couple of windows where it’ll be worth getting wet.

The week starts off on Wednesday, 5th August, with a solid 7ft to 7ft groundswell from the WSW, but the wind is on it, so the surface is going to be a bit messy. The combined energy is quite high (1692), but the “marginal surf forecast” tag tells you it’s not the best time to paddle out. The swell is strong enough, but that onshore breeze will have it looking a bit lumpy.

Thursday, 6th August, sees the swell hold around 8ft from the SW, but the wind swings to a cross-shore, 12-16 mph. That’s going to create a cross-chop, making it tricky. The energy is still strong (1842), but it’s not clean. This is a bit too big and messy for beginners.

Friday, 7th, and Saturday, 8th, are really poor. The wind strengthens and turns cross-onshore, with a fresh breeze on Saturday afternoon hitting 19 mph. The swell gets up to 10ft on Saturday, with a very long 14-second period, but with that wind, it’s a washing machine. The combined energy is massive (2956), but it’s a no-go for surfing. This setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Sunday, 9th, is worth a mention. The morning has an 8ft SW swell (13-second period) with a cross-shore breeze, and the energy is really pumping (3247). The score is a 4, which is the best in the whole outlook. The water temp is about average for the time of year. It’s still a bit on the bigger side for beginners, but for an intermediate surfer, this could be the standout. The afternoon gets ruined by the wind again.

The following week, conditions drop off. Monday, 10th, through to Tuesday, 11th, sees the swell drop to 5ft-8ft, but the wind is still cross-on or cross, keeping things choppy. The energy is moderate (555-1731).

Then, on Wednesday, 12th August, we get a bit of magic. The morning is glassy. A 3ft SW swell (13-second period) with no wind. The forecast says “expect good surf conditions”. It’s small, but it will be clean and perfect for a longboard. The combined energy is weak (457). The afternoon sees the swell pick up to 4ft with a very long 19-second period, but the wind goes cross-on, so it’s not as good.

The second week is quieter. Thursday, 13th, through Monday, 17th, the swell is mostly 3ft to 5ft, with periods of cross-on wind. The best chance in that stretch is Saturday, 15th morning, with a clean cross-offshore wind from the NNE (12 mph) and a 3ft WSW swell with a long 17-second period. It’s small, but clean.

The final standout is on Tuesday, 18th August. The morning is glassy again, with a 5ft WSW swell (12-second period). The forecast says “expect very good surf conditions”. The energy is moderate (980). This is another clean, small day for the log.

Overall, the best on offer is Sunday, 9th August morning, for the size and power, and Wednesday, 12th August morning, and Tuesday, 18th August morning, for the glassy, clean conditions. The rest of the time, the wind is your enemy.

Rusty.

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