Ritoque Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, I’ve got the goods for Ritoque. Let’s see what’s cooking.

The next couple of weeks are a bit of a mixed bag here at Ritoque. We’re looking at some decent swell windows, but the winds are going to be a bit of a headache at times, and a lot of the surf is just marginal. There’s a bit of a gap at the start, so don’t bother paddling out yet.

The main story starts on Tuesday, August 11th. We’ve got a 4ft swell from the SW with a 11-second period pushing through, but the wind is a cross-on 15 km/h from the SSW, and it’s choppy. The combined energy is moderate at 418, but the water temp is 58°F, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year. Not the best, just poor conditions.

The first sign of something better shows up on Wednesday afternoon, August 12th. Swell drops to 3ft from the WSW with a very long 18-second period, and the energy jumps to 670. Still, it’s a light cross-on wind, so it’s just marginal with small wind ripples. Not worth getting too excited about.

By Friday afternoon, August 14th, we finally get a break in the wind. The swell is 4ft from the W, but the period has dropped to only 9 seconds, which is a bit short. The big news is the wind goes *glass*. That means clean, smooth conditions, but the energy is moderate at 487. This is our first little standout for a surf, but keep expectations in check.

The real pick of the first week is Saturday afternoon, August 15th. Swell 3ft from the SW, 16-second period (a nice long groundswell), and the wind is a clean cross-off from the ENE. The energy is solid at 809. This is going to be very good, with clean waves. It’s a bit on the smaller side, but for the conditions, this is where I’d be in the water.

Sunday the 16th also looks promising. Morning is glassy with a 3ft SW swell (14-second period), and the energy is 470. Afternoon stays glassy with a 3-4ft swell. Good clean surf on tap.

Now, the standout of the whole forecast is Wednesday morning, August 19th. Swell hits 6-7ft from the WSW with a 15-second period. The wind is *glassy*. The combined energy is massive at 1714. This is a proper groundswell. This size is getting into expert territory, and for a point break or reef setup, that long period will create some beautiful, powerful lines. But at a beach break like Ritoque, it might break a bit straight. Still, if you’re experienced, this is your day.

We do see some decent windows later on, like Sunday afternoon the 23rd with glassy 4ft SW swell, and Monday morning the 24th with a clean 5ft SW swell from the NE. But after the 19th, the confidence drops as it’s further out. The conditions are more marginal from the 20th onward, with stronger winds and more cross-chop making it a bit messy for a paddle surfer. The setup at times looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing with the moderate cross-onshore winds.

No massive crowds are flagged here, but it’s a popular spot and can get busy when the conditions lock in.

So, to sum it up: Don’t bother before Friday the 14th. The best bet for this week is Saturday the 15th and Sunday the 16th. But if you can wait, and you’ve got the skills, Wednesday the 19th is the big one. Keep an eye on the wind for that day.

Rusty.

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