Rivermouth Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, Rusty here. Let's get into it for Rivermouth.

We've got a bit of a mixed bag coming our way, but there's some real quality hidden in there if you're patient. The standout session is without a doubt Saturday morning, July 11th. The water is a chilly 64°, which is 4° colder than usual for this time of year, so you'll want a good thick wetsuit. But don't let that put you off. The swell is a solid 7 ft from the south, with a long 13-second period driving serious energy (1425). That's a proper groundswell. And the magic is the wind: glassy, with an ESE breeze at just 3 mph. Conditions will be absolutely clean. This is a beginner spot, but at 7 ft, it's pushing the limits for less experienced paddlers. It's very consistent, but the south swell direction is spot on for the river mouth. Expect crowds, it gets busy when it's this good.

Saturday afternoon drops off a bit. The wind swings to a light SE onshore, and the forecast gets a bit questionable with tides. The swell holds at 7 ft, but it's not the same window.

Sunday the 12th is a write-off. The wind goes cross-shore and the period drops to 7 seconds, which is just weak, short-period windswell. The energy is low (652). Not worth paddling out.

Monday the 13th is similar. The swell picks up to 7 ft from the east, but the period is a short 8 seconds and the wind is cross-shore. The energy is moderate (1153), but it's messy and onshore.

Tuesday morning, July 14th, is a real sleeper. There's a glassy calm with no wind, and the swell is 6 ft from the ESE with a 9-second period. The energy is moderate (533). The forecast says "expect very good surf conditions," and I'd believe it. The wind is perfect, and while the swell isn't massive, it'll be clean and fun. The afternoon goes onshore again.

The rest of the week into the weekend (July 15th to 19th) is a rollercoaster. Wednesday and Thursday are small and weak. Then Friday, July 17th, a massive pulse hits. The swell jumps to 10 ft in the morning and 13 ft in the afternoon from the SSW, with a 13-second period and insane energy (2351 and 8527). The wind is cross-offshore, so it's clean. But for a beginner spot, that's way too big. Call it expert-only, and even then, the river mouth is going to be a washing machine. It's kite-surfing territory.

Saturday the 18th brings a drop back to 8 ft in the morning, with glassy conditions again. This is the second standout. The swell is 8 ft from the south with a 13-second period, and the energy is very strong (2816). The wind is light and glassy. It's still big for beginners, but for experienced surfers, it's a cracker. The afternoon gets lumpy with a cross-shore breeze.

Sunday the 19th is blown out. Strong NE winds at 19 mph ruin the 8 ft swell. The energy is still high (2184), but the wind is fresh and lumpy. Don't bother.

The second week starts to fade. From Monday the 20th through to the 26th, the swell drops and the wind is inconsistent. There are a few moments of clean conditions, like the cross-offshore winds on Tuesday the 21st and Wednesday the 22nd, but the swell is only 5 ft to 6 ft. The energy is moderate (around 800-900). It's surfable, but nothing special. The long period swells (14-16 seconds) show up on the 23rd, 24th, and 26th, but the wind is cross-shore or cross-on, and the swell height is small, so it's a lot of energy with no real push. The best bet in the second week is likely Wednesday morning, July 22nd, with a 6 ft east swell and clean cross-offshore winds, but it's a far cry from the first weekend.

So, to sum it up: your best shots are Saturday morning July 11th and Saturday morning July 18th. Both have clean, glassy conditions and solid south swell. The 18th is bigger, so pick your session based on your ability. The 11th is the pick of the bunch for the quality of the surf.

Stay safe out there.

Rusty.

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