Saaga Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s happening at Saaga over the next couple of weeks.

The outlook is a bit of a mixed bag. We’ve got a solid run of swell on the way, but the wind is going to be a major problem for a while. The first real glimmer of hope doesn’t show up until the second week, so patience is going to be key.

The first few days, from Wednesday the 5th through to the weekend, are a write-off. The wind is pumping hard from the SE and ESE, hammering Saaga with a strong cross-onshore breeze. The sea state is messy, choppy, and blown out. On Friday the 7th, the swell is already 7ft to 8ft but with a short, weak period of 7-8 seconds, and the wind is howling at 25 mph. It’s just not worth paddling out. By Saturday the 8th, the swell is pushing 12ft with a near gale force wind – that’s a full-on washing machine, only for the truly crazy or the kite surfers. The combined wave energy is moderate to strong during this period, hitting 2475 on Saturday afternoon, but it’s all wasted energy.

This poor run of conditions continues through the first week. The ocean is just too messy. The wind finally starts to ease slightly by the middle of the second week, and things start to look interesting.

The standout moment is shaping up for Sunday, August 16th. The swell drops to a clean 5ft from the east, with a period of 9 seconds – a decent, workable groundswell. But the real star is the wind. Sunday morning we get a light offshore breeze from the north, and by the afternoon, it’s dead glassy. The waves will be clean, smooth, and lined up. For a reef break like Saaga, that’s as good as it gets. The wave energy is on the lighter side at 572, but the quality of the conditions will make up for it. This is your window. The water is running at a warm 81°, which is about normal for this time of year.

The Saturday before that, August 15th, is also looking promising. The wind will be fresh offshore from the NNE by the afternoon, with a 6ft east swell. It’s a solid second option. Saaga is a consistent, advanced reef break that’s fairly exposed to the SE swell, and it can get crowded sometimes, so get there early for that Sunday session.

After that, by Monday the 17th, the wind swings back onshore, and the swell changes direction to the SW with a very long 18-second period. The wave energy jumps up to 1850, but with the cross-onshore wind, it’ll be lumpy again. A long period swell like that can be tricky at a straight beach break, but Saaga is a reef, so it should handle it better, but the wind is the spoiler.

So, the short version: the first week is a total loss. The second week, specifically Saturday the 15th and especially Sunday the 16th, are where you need to point your board. That glassy, offshore Sunday is the best bet on the table.

Rusty.

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