Ritoque Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here, and I’ve got a mixed bag of a forecast for Ritoque. The next month is a real story of two halves, with some drama and a standout window that’s worth planning around.

First thing’s first, the water temp is sitting at 54°, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year, so you’ll want that extra layer.

The start of the outlook is a write-off, I’m not going to sugarcoat it. Thursday the 16th is a complete mess with a gale-force crosswind and near-gale cross-shore conditions. The surf is tiny and messy. Friday the 17th and Saturday the 18th are also no good, with strong cross-shore winds and poor surf. There’s a solid 3‑day gap of rubbish before we get to Sunday the 19th.

Now, Sunday the 19th is where it starts to get interesting. The morning sees a clean 6 ft swell from the WNW with a light offshore breeze from the east. The wave energy is moderate (870), and the period is 11 seconds, giving it some shape. The afternoon is even better, with a 4 ft swell from the west, still offshore, and a gentle breeze. This is a genuine window of clean, fun surf.

Monday the 20th keeps it going with a cleaner morning, 3 ft from the west, and a light cross-offshore breeze. The afternoon goes glassy, with a 3 ft west swell, perfect for a longboard. This is a solid run of surfable days.

Then we hit another gap. Tuesday the 21st is a write-off with heavy rain and strong winds, and Wednesday the 22nd is for experienced surfers only. The morning swell is 8 ft from the west with a 10‑second period, clean but powerful. The afternoon is glassy with a 6 ft WSW swell, but it’s still a heavy wave – not for the faint-hearted.

The real standout, the one you want to circle on the calendar, is the last day of the month. Thursday the 31st of July. This is the best on offer. The morning is absolutely glassy, with an 8 ft groundswell from the SW, a 14‑second period, and the wave energy is massive (3016). The conditions are clean, and the swell has that long-period power that wraps nicely. The afternoon is also glassy with the same 8 ft SW swell. This is a day for experienced surfers only, with a wave that size. The break is fairly consistent and exposed to the SW, so if the wind holds, it’ll be a ripper. Expect crowds possible, as it’s the kind of day that pulls everyone out.

The days leading up to that are a bit of a mixed bag. Friday the 25th has a glassy afternoon with a 3 ft WSW swell and a very long 15‑second period, which will be clean and fun on a point or reef. The 28th of July has an 8 ft SW swell with a clean cross-shore breeze, still marginal but with good energy.

So, to sum it up: the first week is mostly a dud, with a few clean windows on Sunday and Monday the 19th–20th. The 22nd Wednesday is for the big-wave crew. The absolute standout, the one you don’t miss, is the 31st of July – glassy, big, powerful, and clean. Keep an eye on the forecasts, but that one’s got my attention.

Rusty.

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