Ritoque Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cooking for Ritoque over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, we’ve got a bit of a wait. The first couple of days are a write-off – Wednesday the 26th is a mess with light rain, cross-shore ripples, and only 5ft of short-period swell. The combined energy is weak (672), and the wind is all wrong. Not worth paddling out.

Things get interesting on Thursday the 27th, but it’s a serious caveat. We’re looking at a massive 12ft swell from the WSW, with a solid 14-second period – that’s a proper groundswell. The combined energy is over 5000, which is powerful. The wind is glassy offshore in the morning, and the forecast says the conditions are favorable, but the swell is simply too big. This is expert-only territory. If you’re not a pro, stay on the beach and watch.

Friday the 28th backs off a bit to 8ft, but the wind is cross-onshore, so the surface is going to be bumpy. The energy is still high, but it’s not clean.

The standout window is Saturday the 29th. The morning session is the one to aim for. The swell drops to 6ft from the WSW, built on a 12-second period, giving it some proper push. The combined energy is a solid moderate (1033). The wind? Dead glass. That’s a major positive. The forecast says “excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers”. This is your best chance for clean, lined-up waves. But be aware, the crowd factor says “sometimes” busy, so you might have some company.

Sunday the 30th drops back to 5ft, but the wind is light and onshore, so it’s not going to be as clean.

The following week is a mixed bag of smaller, choppier swells. From Monday the 31st through to Thursday the 10th of September, we’re mostly seeing 3ft to 6ft with cross-onshore wind and moderate chop. The combined energy sits in the moderate range, but the wind keeps it from being really good. There’s a few small windows of cleaner conditions, like the 5ft on the 4th of September with a light cross-shore, but nothing that screams “go now”.

The water temperature is about average for the time of year, so no worries there.

Bottom line: The best surf on offer is Saturday morning, the 29th of August. Everything else is a compromise or just too big. The rest of the run is either too big for most, or too messy. If you’re an expert, the 27th will be a challenge; if you’re looking for a clean, fun session, you’re waiting for that Saturday glass-off.

Rusty.

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