Ritoque Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it.

We’ve got a solid run of surf coming up here at Ritoque. This is a classic, exposed beach break that lights up on a solid SW groundswell, and we’ve got one of those on the way. The water is sitting at 55°F right now, which is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The first real action hits on Wednesday, July 22. The morning is looking prime with 7ft of W swell at 10 seconds from the west and glassy conditions. The combined energy is pumping at 950 (moderate energy), and it’s going to feel clean and lined up. The afternoon holds up well too, with 6ft and still glassy. This is a quality start.

Thursday, July 23, sees a bit of a drop. The morning has 4ft with a clean, glassy feel, but it’s a little small. Afternoon bumps up to 6ft from the WSW, period jumps to 12 seconds, but the wind swings cross-on, which will put a bit of a bump on the face. It’s still surfable, but not as clean.

Friday, July 24, is a mixed bag. Morning has 6ft from the WSW with an 11-second period, but the wind is cross-shore, making for a bit of a crumbly, bumpy ride. The afternoon, however, is a gem. The wind drops to glassy, the swell holds at 6ft from the WSW at 11 seconds, and the energy is up at 949 (moderate). That’s the window to aim for.

Saturday, July 25, starts off beautifully. The morning has 4ft of clean, well-shaped swell from the west with light offshore winds from the east. The energy is 540 (moderate), but it’s clean. The afternoon is a letdown, dropping to 2ft with a very long 15-second period and cross-on wind. That long period swell at a beach break like this will just close out and look weird.

Sunday, July 26, is small and messy. Swell is around 3 to 3ft, with a very long period (13 to 18 seconds) and a decent cross-shore breeze. It’s not worth paddling out for.

The Standout: Monday, July 27. This is the one. Morning sees 8ft of WSW groundswell at 12 seconds, with glassy conditions. The energy is an impressive 2009 (strong energy). This is true overhead, powerful swell. The afternoon holds at 7ft with glassy conditions and energy at 1720. This is expert territory. The waves will be big, powerful, and clean. If you’re experienced, this is your session.

Tuesday, July 28, is a nice recovery. Both morning and afternoon are glassy, with 4ft and 6ft respectively from the WSW at 13 seconds. Clean, fun, and much more manageable for the intermediate crowd.

Wednesday, July 29, holds at 6ft from the WSW at 12 seconds. Morning is clean with a cross-offshore breeze, making for some nice, open faces. The afternoon turns cross-on, losing some of that magic.

Thursday, July 30, is a drop-off. Swell down to 4ft to 5ft, with a short 8-second period in the afternoon. Not great.

Another Standout: Friday, July 31. The morning is glassy calm with 7ft of WSW swell at 12 seconds. Energy is at 1240 (strong energy). This is another big, clean, powerful session for the experienced crew. The afternoon backs off a bit, but the morning is the call.

The first week of August (Saturday 1st through Monday 3rd) is a mixed bag of decent swell (5ft to 7ft) but with cross-shore or cross-on winds. The quality is there for the swell, but the wind won’t cooperate. There’s a chance for a clean one on Sunday, August 2, with 6ft in the morning and glassy conditions, but it’s a quick window.

The second week (August 4th to 6th) looks promising but less certain. The swell is consistent, running 7ft to 8ft from the WSW, but the wind is a persistent cross-shore. It’ll be a bit lumpy, but there’s a lot of energy in the water. Not a standout, but worth watching.

Keep your eyes on the Wednesday, July 22 afternoon, Friday, July 24 afternoon, and the big Monday, July 27 morning. The 27th is the clear winner.

Rusty.

Read more