Ritoque Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let's talk about Ritoque. We've got a run of surf that starts up here on Wednesday the 22nd of July and rolls through for a good stretch. The first week is where the real action is, with some standout mornings that'll have you frothing. The water temp is sitting pretty average for this time of year, nothing crazy unusual.

We kick off on Wednesday morning with a clean 7ft swell rolling in from the West, around 10 seconds apart. The wind is dead calm, glassy as anything, and the energy is right up there at a solid moderate level (949). It's looking setup for a really good session. That afternoon though, the onshore wind kicks in from the West at 6 mph, so the quality drops off. Thursday morning is smaller at 4ft from the West, but still glassy with a light Northerly air. It's a genuine option. The true standout for this first part is Friday the 24th of July. That morning you've got a clean 7ft swell from the West, period pushing 11 seconds, glassy conditions with a light Southeast breeze, and the energy is pumping at 1053. This is excellent groundswell for experienced surfers. It's a good size, not too crazy, but with that period it'll have some punch. Beware of the period though – at 11 seconds these long period swells can break a bit straight at beach breaks, but Ritoque handles it. That afternoon, the wind swings onshore from the WSW, so the window is the morning.

Saturday the 25th sees a smaller 4ft morning, back to glassy conditions and a WSW breeze. It's clean but the energy is lower at 540. Sunday drops right off to under 3ft and the wind gets a bit messy, staying small and inconsistent through Monday the 27th of July. On Monday, the swell bumps back up to 7ft from the West, but the wind is onshore and the energy is strong at 1303, making for a bit of a messy, powerful affair.

The next big highlight hits on Tuesday the 28th of July. It's the morning window again. You've got a 5ft groundswell from the WSW with a beautiful 13-second period, glassy conditions with a light Westerly breeze, and the energy is strong at 1046. This is where you want to be. The period is over 11 seconds, so it's proper groundswell, which will give you longer, better-shaped waves. After that, the surf quality gets more marginal as winds turn onshore for a few days.

From the 30th of July into the first week of August, the size fluctuates. The mornings of the 30th and 31st offer clean windows with lighter winds and smaller swells around 4ft to 4ft. Then we hit a period from Saturday the 1st of August where things get serious. That afternoon, a big 8ft swell from the WSW hits with a long 15-second period and a massive 2906 energy rating. The wind is cross-onshore though, which is a shame, so it's a bit of a messy beast. This is expert-only territory if you are paddling out, but the power is there. Sunday the 2nd of August has similar energy with 8ft and 7ft swells, but again the wind keeps it from being clean.

Honestly, the setup through the first few days of August looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing with the strong onshore wind. The surf is too big and choppy for a good clean paddle session. The window really closes down after the 28th of July for clean, high-quality waves. The forecast gets less reliable out there, but the size is there if you're desperate for a big, windy swell.

So, to put it plainly: your best bets are the mornings of Friday the 24th and Tuesday the 28th of July. That’s the quality. The rest is a mix of small clean waves, or big messy ones.

Rusty.

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