Ritoque Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ll be straight with you – this stretch for Ritoque is a waiting game. We’ve got a decent run of swell but the winds are just a pain for a good chunk, making it hard to get stoked. The water’s sitting at 57°F, which is pretty standard for this time of year, nothing out of the ordinary.

We start this Thursday morning, 20 August, with a 5ft swell from the WSW, but a cross-on breeze is making it messy. The energy’s moderate (904), but it’s choppy and the conditions are only marginal. Thursday afternoon’s much the same, 5ft and cross-shore wind, no good.

Friday 21 August brings a jump in size – morning has 6ft from the SW, but the period is short at 8 seconds, so it’s all chop. Wind is cross, so you’re looking at ordinary waves with moderate energy (701). Not worth a paddle.

Saturday 22 August is light breezes and just fair to poor. Swell hangs around 5ft to 5ft, but the direction stays short-period, and winds are cross or cross-on. Energy is dropping (429 to 385). Sunday 23 August sees a little blip of glass in the afternoon – 3ft from the SW, 8-second period – and that’s surfable waves but very ordinary. Barely worth suiting up.

Monday 24 August: morning is tiny at 2ft and onshore, forget it. But the afternoon? Well, we get a glassy spell. 2ft from the SSW, 12-second period. Energy is still weak (261), but the report says “expect good surf conditions.” That’s a clean, small-wave session if you’re keen on a longboard.

Now Tuesday 25 August is a highlight. Morning is dead calm, glassy, and we’ve got 2ft from the WSW with a long 15-second period. Energy is low (282) but it’s glassy and the report says “expect good surf conditions.” It’ll be tiny but clean. The best of the first week.

Wednesday 26 August morning is good again – 4ft, WSW, 12 seconds, glassy, and a solid “expect good surf conditions” with moderate energy (494). That’s your pick for a fun, clean day. Afternoon turns cross-on and drops off.

Thursday 27 August gets serious in size – morning 8ft from the WSW, 13 seconds, but cross-on wind. Energy jumps way up (2134). Afternoon is bigger: 7ft, 17 seconds – a very long period groundswell with very strong energy (4425). But it’s cross-on and choppy, and the report says only marginal. This is big, powerful, but messy. Not a stand-out for paddle surfing.

Friday 28 August is too big: 10ft both sessions, cross-on, and the report clearly says “the swell is predicted to be too big for this break.” High energy (3172 and 3082). Leave it for the experts only – and even then, it’s messy.

Saturday 29 August morning is still 10ft, glassy, but the report says too big. Afternoon drops a touch to 8ft, still too big for most.

Sunday 30 August: 7ft in the morning from the WSW, 13 seconds. Wind is onshore, marginal. Energy is still strong (1478). Monday 31 August sees 5ft with a cross breeze, then afternoon gets 6ft with 16 mph cross winds – the report says “poor surf conditions” – so avoid.

Tuesday 01 September is short-period chop, and Wednesday 02 September is fading energy.

Now here’s the real standout: Thursday morning, 03 September. We get 5ft from the WSW, 14 seconds, glassy, with very good energy (857) and the report says “expect very good surf conditions.” This is clean, long-period groundswell, perfect for Ritoque’s sandbar setup. That’s the best one in the whole run. Friday 04 September fades out with 4ft and cross-on wind.

So overall: if you can, wait for the morning of Tuesday 25 August for a glassy tiny wave, or Wednesday 26 August morning for a bit more size. But the true gold is Thursday 03 September morning – glassy, 5ft, 14 seconds. That’s as good as it gets. The big stuff at the end of August is just too raw and messy. Keep your eyes peeled for that first week of September window.

Rusty.

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