Ritoque Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s in store for Ritoque over the next couple of weeks.

First off, the water is sitting at 57°, which is about 2° above average for this time of year. Not a big deal for a wetsuit, but if you’re paddling out in a spring suit, you’ll notice the difference.

Right now, the surf is quiet. The first real chance to get wet doesn’t come until the 12th of August, Wednesday afternoon. That’s a small 3 ft WSW groundswell, running at 18 seconds, with a cross-on breeze. The water’s moving, but the wave energy is moderate (668) and the wind is light enough that it’s not a total washout, but the forecast says it’s marginal. You’ll be scratching for a decent one.

Thursday the 13th starts with a bit more size – 4 ft from the WSW, 16 seconds – but it’s still cross-shore and a little messy. The combined energy is up to 814, so there’s some push, but it’s not clean. Thursday afternoon gets worse with rain and a stronger cross-on. Best to wait.

Friday the 14th is small and limp. The surf drops off.

The standout in the first week comes on Saturday the 15th of August. Early morning, the swell is 5 ft from the west, 10 seconds, with a light cross-off wind. The water’s clean, the energy is moderate (796), and the forecast calls for very good surf conditions. This is the one to circle. It’s a beach break, so the shorter period means the waves won’t be too wonky. Saturday afternoon it backs off to 3 ft but it’s still clean – a nice session if you want to stay out longer.

Sunday the 16th starts okay but the wind picks up hard in the afternoon – 16 mph cross-shore – turning it into a choppy mess. Not worth it.

The 17th and 18th are a mixed bag. Monday the 17th has a 7 ft SW swell, but the period is only 8 seconds and the wind is cross. The energy is high (829) but the quality is low. It’s a messy, short-period chop. Tuesday the 18th, however, shows a big spike in energy (1266) with a 4 ft SW groundswell at 16 seconds. The wind is light cross-shore, and the swell direction matches the optimum SW. This is a classic long-period groundswell – better for a point or reef, but at a beach break like Ritoque, it might break too straight. Still, the conditions are good enough to call it a solid option.

Wednesday the 19th brings a bigger 7 ft SW swell at 16 seconds, with onshore wind in the morning. The energy is massive (2067). That’s a lot of power, but the wind is light and variable, so it could be a lumpy mess. For experts only if it cleans up.

The second standout is Saturday the 22nd of August. Morning session: 7 ft from the SW, 10 seconds, with a light cross-off breeze. The forecast says very good, clean conditions. The energy is 737 – moderate – but the wind is right, and the swell direction is perfect. That’s a fun, punchy beach break for intermediate surfers. Not too big, not too small.

After that, the surf fades through the 23rd and 24th. The 24th has a tiny 2 ft SSW groundswell at 15 seconds with glassy conditions in the morning. Pretty, but small.

The last week of the forecast is a series of average or marginal days. The 25th through the 27th offer small groundswells, mostly cross-shore winds, and moderate energy. Nothing to get excited about. The 27th has a 4 ft WSW swell with a clean cross-off breeze, but it’s marginal.

There’s a long gap from the 17th to the 18th that’s basically a write-off, and then another gap after the 22nd where the quality drops off hard. If you’re looking for the best of the best, aim for Saturday the 15th of August for the cleanest, most fun waves, and Saturday the 22nd of August for a bit more size and power. Both are your best bets.

Rusty.

Read more