Saaga Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Righto, mate. Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for the Saaga region.

Straight up, I’ve gotta be honest with you – this 16-day window is a tough one. For the first week and a half, it’s pretty much a write-off. From Thursday the 20th of August right through to the 27th, the conditions are just ugly. That persistent cross-onshore wind from the SE and ESE, blowing 30 to 35 km/h, is churning the ocean into a lumpy, messy state. The swell energy is moderate to strong (values between 910 and 2347), but it’s all for nothing with that wind. There’s no shortage of swell – we see a few pulses of S and SW groundswell, some with a very long period of 16 seconds – but with the wind ruining it, you’d be wasting your time. The water temp is sitting at 81°, which is normal for this time of year, so at least a dip won’t be a shock.

We then hit a bit of a lull in the quality, but around Friday the 28th of August, things start to show a glimmer. The wind eases, and by Saturday the 29th of August, we get a real standout. Saaga is a consistent advanced reef break, fairly exposed to the swell, and it loves an SE swell. On Saturday morning, we’ve got a clean 10ft swell from the ESE, with a period of 10 seconds, and a light cross-offshore breeze from the ENE at 9 mph. The combined energy is strong (1988), and the conditions are clean. This is the one to aim for. The swell is big – over 8ft – so this is strictly for experts. Keep in mind, with a 10-second period, it’s a groundswell, but not super long, so it should still offer some good shape. Crowds are sometimes an issue here, so get in early.

The following days after that, from Sunday the 30th of August, the wind goes back onshore or cross-shore, and the surf quality drops back to marginal or poor. The swell hangs around, but the wind just doesn’t cooperate. By the start of September, we get a big pulse of swell – 12ft from the SE – but again, the wind is a fresh cross-onshore, and the conditions are lumpy and choppy. The combined energy is very strong (up to 3984), but it’s not a paddle surfer’s friend. With that strong onshore wind and big, messy swell at a reef, this setup actually looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a right-off. The one standout is Saturday the 29th of August. If you’re an expert, that’s your window. The rest is either blown out or too marginal. The long-range stuff into the second week is big but messy, so don’t get your hopes up.

Rusty.

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