Saaga Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for this stretch.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – things are looking pretty grim for a long while. The first real chance of a surfable wave doesn’t pop up until July 20th. That’s a solid week of waiting. From the 12th right through to the 19th, we’re dealing with a relentless run of cross-onshore winds that are just trashing the surface. The swell energy is there, sometimes massive, with readings over 3000 (3045) on the 18th, but it’s all messy and lumpy. Not worth paddling out for.

The first glimmer of hope comes on Monday July 20th at Saaga (reef break). The wind finally swings cross-offshore, cleaning things up. We’re looking at a medium-sized swell around 7ft to 8ft out of the ESE with a short period of 8 seconds. The energy is still moderate (1480-1655), and the conditions are described as clean. The wind is a fresh breeze, so it won’t be glassy, but it’s a huge step up from the week before. This is for the advanced crew, as the size is pushing into expert territory and the reef bottom demands respect. This is one of the best windows we’ve got.

Then on Tuesday July 21st, things get interesting. We’ve got a solid 5ft swell from the south, but the period is a massive 20-21 seconds – that’s proper groundswell, very long period. The energy is ripping, hitting 3077. The wind on Tuesday afternoon goes clean offshore from the NNE. This is the standout session. That long-period south swell will be lining up beautifully on the reef at Saaga. The water temp is around 82°, which is dead average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

After that, the quality drops back off. The wind shifts around, and the surf becomes marginal again through the 22nd and 23rd, with energy dropping under 1000. The 24th sees some onshore wind and a big lump of energy (2295) from a 5ft, 16-second south swell, but the wind is on it, and the conditions are unknown – likely not great. The very end of the outlook, from the 25th to the 27th, is back to strong cross-onshore winds and lumpy, choppy surf. Not a good way to finish.

So, to bottom line it: the first week is a write-off. The best surf on offer is Tuesday July 21st session at Saaga with that long-period south groundswell and offshore winds. Monday July 20th is a solid second choice for a cleaner, if shorter period, wave. After that, it’s a waiting game again.

Rusty.

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