Saaga Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's break down what's headed our way for the next couple of weeks.

First up, we're looking at Saaga, a fairly exposed reef setup that needs a SE swell direction to really get going. The water temp is sitting at 81°, which is about average for this time of year, nothing weird going on there.

Now, right off the bat, the first few days are pretty grim. Tuesday afternoon is no good – we've got a 5-foot SW swell (15-second period) coming in, but it's cross-shore with a fresh ESE breeze, making things lumpy and messy. The combined energy is moderate at 1289, but the conditions just aren't playing ball. This keeps up through Wednesday, Thursday, and into the weekend. The wind stays cross or cross-on from the east or southeast, and even though the swell hangs around 3 to 5 feet, it's all cross-chop or lumpy. The whole first week is basically a write-off for any kind of clean surf.

There is a shift early in the second week. Monday the 14th and Tuesday the 15th actually see a bump in size – we get 7-foot and 6-foot waves from the SSW and SW, but the wind is still fresh cross-onshore and lumpy, so it's just big and messy. The 17th and 18th finally show some hope. On Thursday the 18th afternoon, we finally get a break in the weather. The wind swings to a moderate offshore from the NNW at 12 mph, and we get a 3-foot SW swell with a 14-second period. The combined energy is moderate at 790, but that offshore wind is going to clean it right up. That's our first real standout – it's small but it'll be glassy. Then on Friday the 18th morning, it's still offshore from the north at 15 mph with the same 3-foot SW swell, and even though there's a risk of thunderstorms, the wind is clean. That afternoon is looking like the peak of the window: offshore, clean, and super fun on a small day.

After that, we jump to the 20th and 21st, and it's back to cross-on slop. The real wildcard is the 22nd of September. We get a 10-foot swell from the SSW with a short 8-second period – that's a lot of water moving, but it's lumpy and cross-onshore. The combined energy is strong at 1874, but it's going to be a washed-out mess for a paddle surfer. For a kite surfer though? That setup with strong cross-on winds and that much swell... that would be more interesting.

So, if you're a paddler, the best bet is to wait for that offshore window on Thursday 18th and Friday 19th of September. It's not huge, but it'll be clean and fun. Saturday the 12th and Sunday the 13th are a wash, and the rest is just waiting.

Rusty

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