Ritoque Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Hey, Rusty here.

We’ve got a solid 16-day stretch lined up for Ritoque, but you gotta pick your moments. The first few days are basically a waste of time, so don’t bother paddling out until the end of the week. The real action is a big swell that shows up later, but it comes with some serious size and iffy wind.

Monday 24 August is not worth the walk to the water. The morning has a light 10 km/h cross-offshore breeze and a tiny 2ft swell from the SSW at 13 seconds (combined energy 186), but it’s just flat and boring. By afternoon, the wind turns onshore and it’s messy. Tuesday 25 August is the same story—small and uninspiring. Wednesday 26 August sees the swell bump up a little, hitting 3ft in the morning and 5ft by afternoon with a period around 10 to 12 seconds, but the wind is never right; it’s either onshore or cross-shore, leaving chop all over it. The combined energy climbs from 438 to 628, but the quality is poor.

Thursday 27 August is the first big day, but it’s for experts only. The swell is predicted to be a massive 12ft from the WSW with a very long period of 15 seconds, and the combined energy goes through the roof to 5488. The wind is light and onshore, but the problem is the swell is simply too big for this spot. Unless you’re a pro, stay on the beach.

The sweet spot arrives on Friday 28 August morning. This is your standout. The swell has dropped to a still-chunky 8ft from the WSW at 13 seconds (combined energy 2353), and the wind is glassy—dead calm. That means clean, lined-up waves for experienced surfers. The afternoon gets a little cross-onshore, losing that perfection. Saturday 29 August morning repeats the magic: another glassy morning with a 8ft swell from the WSW at 12 seconds (combined energy 1652). This is your best chance for a proper session. After that, it fades. Sunday 30 August drops to 5ft and turns cross-onshore, so it’s back to average.

The second week looks more promising but less certain. From Monday 31 August through Thursday 3 September, the swell holds between 6ft and 8ft, mostly from the SW or WSW, with periods from 11 to 17 seconds. The trouble is the wind stays consistently cross-onshore, so the waves will be bumpy. Friday 4 September is similar: 7ft cross-onshore. Saturday 5 September morning gives you a surprise—glassy winds with a 6ft swell from the WSW at 13 seconds (combined energy 983), offering clean conditions again, so mark that one. Sunday 6 September drops to 5ft and goes back to cross-onshore.

Finally, Monday 7 September brings a pulse of 7ft from the SW at 10 seconds (combined energy 1110), but the winds are light and cross-onshore. Tuesday 8 September morning, the last day in the outlook, gives you one more glassy morning with a 5ft swell from the SW at just 7 seconds. The period is short, so it’ll be a bit weak and crumbly, but at least it’s clean.

Bottom line: your best days are Saturday 29 August morning and Friday 28 August morning. Saturday 5 September morning is a decent backup. The rest is either too big, too windy, or too small. Be patient, pick your windows, and don’t waste time on the poor days.

Rusty.

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