Ritoque Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, let's get into it. We've got a mixed bag of a forecast for Ritoque over the next couple of weeks. The early part of the window is pretty flat and weak, so we're looking at a bit of a wait for something with any real push.

Right now, we're in a bit of a slow patch. Starting on Saturday the 22nd of August, the swell is small and weak, with a combined energy reading of just 397, and the wind is messy. It's not really worth getting wet for, honestly. That carries on through the weekend and into Monday with poor conditions.

Things start to show a glimmer on Monday the 24th afternoon, when the wind goes glassy. The swell is only 2ft though, from the SSW with a 12 second period – a long period for such a small wave. The combined energy is weak at 192, so it’s barely a ripple. The water temp is around 57°, which is pretty average for this time of year, nothing unusual there.

Tuesday the 25th morning has a promising sign with a 2ft swell from the WSW but with a very long 15 second period and cross-offshore wind making it clean. The energy is still low at 260, but that's the kind of setup that can offer a sneaky little wave if you're on the right board.

The real change comes on Wednesday the 26th of August. The morning is a bit messy, but Wednesday afternoon is where it starts to get interesting. We see a 7ft swell from the WSW with a 12 second period, cross-offshore wind, and the combined energy jumps up to 1115, which is a solid moderate energy. The report says it's excellent for experienced surfers, and I agree – this is the first real standout.

But hold on, because Thursday the 27th is a different story. The swell absolutely hammers in – 12ft to 13ft from the WSW with a 15 second period. The combined energy reading is massive at 5952 and 6229. That's a very strong, powerful swell, but it's way too big for Ritoque, even for experts. The wind is cross-onshore too, so it's going to be a washing machine. Kite surfers might love it, but for paddle surfing, it's a hard pass.

Friday the 28th and Saturday the 29th see the swell backing down but still solid, around 8ft to 6ft from the WSW. Saturday morning the 29th is a real highlight – glassy conditions with a 6ft swell, 12 second period, and a combined energy of 1100. That's clean, powerful, and for experienced surfers, that's a top session. It's another standout.

Then we hit a rough patch from Sunday the 30th of August with heavy rain, 25 mph winds and generally poor surf. The swell drops and the wind is a mess, making it unsurfable. That carries into the start of September.

Now we look ahead. Tuesday the 1st of September is still messy, but Wednesday the 2nd has a long-period 5ft to 5ft swell from the WSW with a 20 second period. That's a very long period groundswell. Combined energy is up to 1982 to 2166, which is moderate to strong. It's a bit lumpy with cross-shore wind, so not perfect, but there will be some energy in the water. Remember, long period swells like this can break a bit straight at a beach break like Ritoque, but there will be some nice ones.

Thursday the 3rd of September sees the swell getting bigger again, up to 8ft from the WSW with a 16 second period and strong energy (3549). It's cross-onshore and choppy though, so it's not ideal for a classic day.

Then, the real promising part for the second week: Friday the 4th of September. Morning and afternoon are both glassy, with a 7ft to 7ft swell from the WSW, period 13-14 seconds, and excellent conditions for experienced surfers. The combined energy is strong at 1453 to 1774. This is a long-range standout, promising but less certain this far out.

Saturday the 5th is more cross-onshore and lumpy, but then Sunday the 6th of September morning glass again with a 6ft swell, 12 second period and 1010 combined energy. Another potential good session for experienced surfers.

Overall, the two best bets on offer are Wednesday the 26th afternoon and Saturday the 29th morning in the first week, and then keep an eye on Friday the 4th of September in the second week. If you're an experienced surfer, those are the windows. Beginners should look elsewhere, especially when the swell is over 5ft. There are long gaps of poor conditions, but when it turns on, it turns on.

Rusty out.

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