Riviera Shorebreak Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then, let’s have a look at what’s coming down the line for Riviera Shorebreak.

Mate, I’m not gonna lie to you – the next 16 days are a real struggle. There’s no standout session, no absolute cracker to get you fired up. It’s a long, drawn-out run of marginal surf. The main issue is that this spot rarely breaks as it is, and the conditions just aren’t stacking up to give it a proper nudge. We’re looking at a solid gap before anything even gets close to being worth a paddle.

The water’s sitting at 89° right now, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year – you won’t need a spring suit, that’s for sure.

Let’s walk through it. Thursday the 6th of August afternoon is the first mention of anything, with some 2ft SW swell carrying a long 13-second period. The combined energy is moderate at 361. The wind is a light NW cross, so it’s not totally trashed, but the report calls it marginal. That’s the best we’re getting for a while.

Friday the 7th starts with poor conditions and a 2ft SW swell, and the afternoon bumps up to 3ft but the wind swings onshore from the W. Saturday the 8th morning has a 3ft SW swell with a 16-second period (moderate energy at 571), but it’s a cross-onshore breeze making it choppy. The afternoon brings heavy rain, but a NNE cross-offshore wind cleans it up – still only 3ft. Sunday and Monday are similar stories: small, onshore, and marginal.

This pattern just keeps rolling. Every day is stuffed with these small SW swells, mostly between 2ft and 4ft, and the wind is almost always onshore or cross-onshore, ruining any chance of a clean face. The periods are fairly long, mostly between 13 and 19 seconds, which is good for energy, but the lack of size and the constant wind make it a non-starter. The combined energy peaks around 775 on the 14th of August, which is moderate, but it’s paired with a NW cross-onshore. Even the 15th of August morning, which has the biggest swell of the run at 4ft, still has a light cross-onshore wind and is only rated marginal.

The second week is the same sad story. More small SW groundswell, more onshore or cross-onshore wind. The 14th of August has a 3ft, 18-second period swell with a light WSW onshore – that’s about as close to a clean look as we get, but it’s still only 3ft. The 15th of August morning holds the 4ft, but the wind is a letdown. After that, it drifts back down to 2ft and 2ft.

Honestly, for a break that rarely breaks, this is a tough run. The swell direction is coming from the SW, which is the optimum direction for this spot, but the wind is the enemy here. The setups are more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing given the consistent onshore conditions.

If you’re desperate, the 15th of August morning is your best bet. That 4ft SW swell at 16 seconds is the biggest we get, and the light cross-onshore wind is at least manageable. It’s still a gamble, but it’s the only one in the whole 16 days that has a pulse. Don’t expect much, and keep your expectations on the floor.

Rusty.

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