Ritoque Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ over the next couple weeks.

Right off the bat, we’ve got a solid run of SW groundswell lining up for Ritoque, and the water is sittin’ at a nippy 55°F, which is a bit colder than what we usually expect this time of year – so you might want an extra layer.

The standout window opens on Thursday morning, July 9th. We’re lookin’ at a 7ft SW swell with a 13-second period, building some decent energy. But the real magic is Thursday afternoon – the wind goes glassy, the swell drops just a touch to 5ft from the SW with a nice 14-second period, and the energy is solid. This is the pick of the first week. Conditions will be clean, lined-up, and should offer some proper long rides. It’ll be a low-key crowd scene, which is a bonus.

The glassy conditions hang in there for Friday morning, July 10th, too. You’ve got a 6ft SSW swell, a 13-second period, and with that glassy surface, it’ll be worth gettin’ the early session in before the wind picks up in the arvo. By Saturday the 11th, the swell bumps up to 8ft, but the wind starts gettin’ messy – that morning is still worth a paddle, but it’ll be a bit lumpy.

Then we hit a bit of a lull from Sunday the 12th through Monday the 13th. The swell drops back, and most sessions are marginal. There’s a window on Monday afternoon with a 5ft SW swell and glassy wind, but the energy’s low – worth it if you’re desperate for a wet suit rinse.

Things fire back up in a big way on Tuesday, July 14th. This is the real standout of the whole forecast. Tuesday morning serves up a 6ft WSW swell with a very long 14-second period, glassy as a mirror, and a huge energy reading. Tuesday afternoon gets even bigger – 8ft from the same direction, 15-second period, and energy goes through the roof. The wind stays glassy. This is proper groundswell, and at that size, it’s better suited for experienced surfers, but the quality will be off the charts. The WSW direction is a good match for the break, so expect long, powerful walls.

Wednesday the 15th hangs in there, still glassy, with solid 7ft+ WSW swell. Thursday the 16th drops off to a knee-to-waist high 3ft swell, but with glassy conditions and a long 15-second period, it’ll be a fun cruise if you’re not after power.

We get another solid, but messy, pulse on Friday the 17th – 10ft from the WNW, but the wind is howlin’ at 22 mph, makin’ it a choppy mess. That one’s a pass. Saturday the 18th sees 12ft of NW swell, which is way too big for this spot and with lumpy cross-shore wind.

The second week’s best bet is Sunday, July 19th. A 6ft SW swell with offshore wind from the East, clean as a whistle, and a decent 12-second period. It’s not as big as the 14th, but it’ll be clean and user-friendly.

After that, the forecast gets a bit wild – gale-force winds and stormy conditions blow through, with a few days of big, unmanageable swell. The very end of the run on Wednesday the 22nd and Thursday the 23rd finally settles down, but it’s small and onshore.

Bottom line: Thursday afternoon July 9th and Tuesday July 14th are the ones to circle. The 14th is the heavyweight champion of this outlook.

Rusty.

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