Riviera Surf Forecast and Surf Report

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

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – this isn’t a classic run. We’ve got a long stretch of small, onshore-affected swell that’s going to make things tough. The water temp is sitting right where it should be for this time of year, so at least it’s not a shock to the system. The first real surf worth talking about doesn’t show up until late in the period, so we’ve got a big gap of pretty average conditions to get through first.

The early days, from Wednesday the 19th of August through to the end of the month, are all about small, weak swell. We’re looking at waves around 2 ft to 3 ft from the SSW, with a long period of 16 seconds on the Wednesday morning giving it some shape, but the energy is weak (436). The problem is the wind – it’s almost always cross-onshore, and while it’s light, it’s still enough to mess up the surface. The break is a beginner-friendly spot, so it’s not going to be a total washout, but you’ll be fighting for gutless little waves. The rest of that week and into the next is more of the same: knee-high dribble, light onshore winds, and poor quality. Thursday the 20th through to Monday the 24th are particularly grim, with the swell dropping to 2 ft and periods all over the shop. Not worth paddling out for unless you’re desperate.

Now, here’s where it gets a little more interesting. Towards the end of the month, around Saturday the 29th of August, we finally see a bit of life. The swell bumps up to 3 ft to 4 ft from the SSW, with a period of 16-17 seconds, and the energy climbs into the moderate range (677-709). The wind is still mostly cross-onshore, but it’s light, so the surface won’t be too chopped up. This is the standout window, but it’s still only marginal – the tide and conditions are a bit questionable. It’s not a firing day, but it’s the best we’ve got. The break is exposed to the SW, and the optimum swell direction is SW, so this is a solid match.

Into the first week of September, the small stuff returns. Tuesday the 1st of September has a weird little spike of 4 ft from the W with a very short period of 8 seconds, which is basically windswell and won’t hold its shape. The rest of that week is back to 2 ft dribble. The long-range on Thursday the 3rd of September shows a small 2 ft SSW swell at 16 seconds, but with cross-onshore wind again. It’s a long way out and the energy is still weak, so don’t bank on it.

Honestly, if you’re a kiter, this setup might be more interesting than for a surfer. The small, blown-out conditions with consistent cross-onshore wind are not ideal for a paddle. There’s no standout session that I’d call a winner, but if you’re desperate for a paddle, the last weekend of August is your best bet – just keep your expectations in check.

Rusty.

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