Ritoque Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get real about the surf. It’s going to be a bit of a rollercoaster over the next couple of weeks. We’re starting off pretty weak, then we get a few clean windows, and we finish with some serious size. Water temp is running at 56.7°F, which is about a degree warmer than average. Nothing crazy.

First up is Ritoque on Wednesday the 19th of August. Morning brings a 6.2ft SW swell with a 15-second period, and it’s got some real grunt to it – the combined energy is at 1881. But the wind’s cross-onshore, so it’s going to be a bit lumpy. It’s doable for the intermediate crew, but don’t expect perfection. The afternoon drops to a 6.2ft WSW with a shorter 14-second period and the wind goes more onshore. Not an improvement.

Thursday the 20th is a skip. Swell drops to 5.2ft and the wind swings cross-shore, turning into a messy cross-onshore by the afternoon. Choppy and gutless – not worth the effort. We’ve got a couple of poor days here.

Friday the 21st might be your best early chance, and it’s still not great. The swell eases to 5.2ft, and the period drops right off to 8 seconds. That’s windswell, not groundswell. Moderate energy at 648. Light cross-shore wind keeps it a bit cleaner in the morning, and it’s almost glassy in the afternoon as the swell picks up a touch to 5.9ft. It’ll be a bit soft and crumbly, but you can find a few if you’re keen.

Saturday the 22nd is another flat-ish day. The swell’s down to 4.9ft, with a cross-shore breeze that goes cross-offshore in the afternoon as the swell drops to 4.3ft. It’s clean, but there’s just no push. Then Sunday the 23rd just dies. We’re looking at under 3ft of swell, it’s onshore and the energy is weak. There’s a definite lull in the action.

So, we’ve got a few days in the middle of the window where it’s just not going to be worth paddling out. But then things start to turn.

Monday the 24th brings a bit of life. The swell bumps back up to 3.9ft, but more importantly the period is back up to 12 seconds, and we get a clean, cross-offshore wind in the morning. The energy’s moderate at 648, and with those conditions, it’s going to be fun on the right board. Tuesday the 25th is the sleeper pick. The morning is a bit onshore, but the afternoon goes glassy. The swell builds to 3.9ft with a nice 14-second period and the energy jumps to 725. That’s a clean, glassy session right there.

The size starts to build through the week. Wednesday the 26th has a 6.2ft WSW swell with a 10-second period, but the cross-onshore wind is going to make it a bit of a struggle. The energy is moderate at 943, but it won’t be clean.

Now here’s where things get interesting. From Thursday the 27th of August through to Saturday the 29th, the swell really kicks in. We’re looking at 7.2ft to 8.2ft of WSW swell, with periods of 12 to 14 seconds. This is strong to very strong energy, with readings between 1412 and 2934. But, and it’s a big but, the wind is consistently cross-onshore. It’s going to be big, powerful, and messy. This is expert territory. If you’re not comfortable in solid, chunky waves, give it a miss. This is a proper hold-on-to-yourself session.

After that pulse, it settles back down. Sunday the 30th of August finds us with a 5.6ft WSW swell that drops to 5.2ft in the afternoon. And look at that – the wind goes glassy in the afternoon. That’s clean, that’s friendly. That’s a good one for the intermediates.

Monday the 31st is a bit of a letdown, with light cross-onshore winds and a 5.6ft swell that fades through the day. Then Tuesday the 1st of September drops to 3.6ft, so it’s backing off again.

But hold on. Wednesday the 2nd of September looks like the standout of the whole run. The swell isn’t huge, 4.3ft, but it’s holding a solid 16-second period

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