Rivermouth Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Righto folks, Rusty here, and I’ve been staring at the charts for Rivermouth. It’s a bit of a mixed bag over the next couple of weeks, with a lot of sessions that look better on paper than they will feel under your feet.

The overall pattern starts off with some small, clean surf that fades out, then a week of strong but wind-affected easterly swell, before things finally clean up again for a couple of standout windows. Don’t expect a long run of perfection; you’ll need to pick your moments.

We kick off on Wednesday the 29th of July. The morning is small and messy with a light cross-onshore and that 4ft SSW swell at 14 seconds, but the real story is the afternoon. The wind goes glassy, and even though the swell drops to 3ft, the energy is still moderate (846). That afternoon session is the best bet for the first couple of days – clean, glassy waves for the beginners, as it stays well under 5ft.

Thursday the 30th brings a change. The morning sees a bigger 6ft ESE swell jump up, and with the wind going glassy, it’s a real treat. The period is a short 9 seconds though, so it won’t have that groundswell punch. Still, for a Thursday morning, it’s going to be fun.

From Friday the 31st through the weekend and into the start of the following week, we hit a rocky patch. A strong ENE wind kicks in, building to 16-19 mph. The swell hangs around 6ft to 8ft, with moderate to strong combined energy (between 453 and 1463), but the wind direction is all wrong, creating lumpy cross-chop. The wave comment says “poor surf conditions” for a lot of this stretch. Honestly, this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing, especially when the period drops to 8 seconds on Saturday afternoon. There’s a gap of poor recommendations here lasting a few days.

Monday the 3rd of August is a slight tease. The swell is still a solid 7ft from the E, but the wind is still cross-shore. The energy is now very strong (1477 to 1597), but the conditions keep it from being a standout. You’ll get some waves, but they’ll be lumpy.

The first real standout I see is on Tuesday the 5th of August… wait, no, that’s still small. Let’s keep looking.

Alright, here we go. The true standout isn't until Tuesday the 12th of August. The morning brings a solid 8ft swell from the south (1730 combined energy – that’s very strong), with a light cross-shore wind. This is the biggest, most powerful swell of the window. The length of the wave is 10 seconds, so it will have some push. At 8ft, this is for experienced surfers only. Rivermouth is a river mouth setup, so a big S swell like this can get a bit shifty and powerful, but the clean conditions thanks to the light wind make it a must-check session for the crew who know what they're doing.

The other standout that’s worth a mention is Wednesday the 13th of August. Wait, the data shows Thursday the 8th of August morning? Let me find it.

Yes, Saturday the 8th of August morning. You’ve got a 6ft swell from the E, light offshore wind, and the combined energy is strong (883). The wind is cross-offshore, meaning clean, groomed faces. It’s a bit smaller than the 12th, but the conditions look pristine. It’s a fantastic choice for a solid, clean session without the heavy size of the 12th.

To sum it up: the best on offer is the morning of Saturday, August 8th for clean, solid waves, and the morning of Tuesday, August 12th for the biggest, most powerful surf for the experts. Everything else requires you to be patient or very flexible with your expectations.

Stay safe, and don’t force it into the wind.

Rusty.

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