Sakawa River Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer at the Sakawa River over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – the next week or so is looking pretty flat and uninspiring. We’ve got a long stretch of small, weak surf with poor conditions. From Saturday the 25th of July all the way through to the end of the month, the swell is tiny, mostly around 1 ft to 2 ft, with very weak combined swell energy (in the 26 to 100 range). The winds are mostly cross-onshore, and the wave comment is consistently “poor surf conditions”. It’s a tough stretch. There’s a brief glimmer on Tuesday the 28th of July with glassy conditions in the morning and afternoon, and waves hitting 2 ft and 100 energy, but it’s still just “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions”. That’s a day to bring the longboard and just enjoy being out there, but don’t expect much.

The beginning of August isn’t much better. The 1st and 2nd are still a letdown. On the 2nd of August, the swell tries to pick up to 3 ft from the ESE with a very long period of 15 seconds and energy of 221, but it’s onshore wind and “poor surf conditions”. The long period is a tease for a river break – it’s not ideal.

Now, the real story starts to build around the 3rd of August. The swell starts to fill in properly. On Monday the 3rd, we get waves of 4 ft to 5 ft from the ESE, with a long period of 15 seconds and moderate energy (626 to 685). The wind is cross to cross-onshore, so it’s a bit messy, but it’s “marginal surf forecast”. It’s building. The energy is moderate, and it’s getting there.

The standout window, and I mean the real standout, is from the 4th of August to the 5th of August. On Tuesday the 4th, the swell jumps to 5 ft to 6 ft from the ESE, with a very long period of 16 seconds and strong wave energy (1210 to 1457). The wind is a light cross-shore in the morning, which is decent. Wednesday the 5th is the peak for the first part of the run: 6 ft to 6 ft from the ESE, period of 17 seconds, and energy hitting 1754 in the morning. That’s solid, strong swell energy. The wind is light cross-onshore, so it’s not perfect, but it’s clean enough. This is a big, long-period groundswell, so the Sakawa River (Japan) is going to handle it well – it’s a river mouth, so it can focus that energy. However, at 6 ft to 6 ft, this is getting into the size range where it’s a bit much for beginners. It’s a proper intermediate to advanced session.

The next big push comes on the 8th and 9th of August. Saturday the 8th of August starts with a glassy morning and 4 ft from the SSW with a very long period of 16 seconds (energy 775). The expectation is “very good surf conditions”. That’s a winner. By Sunday the 9th of August, we’re looking at the biggest surf of the entire forecast. The morning is glassy, 8 ft from the S with a period of 16 seconds and massive energy of 3425. The wave comment says “excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers”. This is a serious, powerful swell. At 8 ft, this is for experts only – the paddle out will be a mission, and the river mouth will be handling a lot of water. The afternoon sees 10 ft from the S (energy 4394), but the wind turns cross-onshore, making it a bit messier. The morning of the 9th is the absolute standout for the strong, experienced crew.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a write-off. The best on offer is the morning of Sunday the 9th of August at the Sakawa River – 8 ft, S swell, glassy, and huge energy. It’s a long way off, so keep an eye on it, but that’s the one to circle on the calendar. Tuesday the 4th and Wednesday the 5th are also solid for intermediate surfers looking for a solid long-period swell.

Stay safe out there.

Rusty.

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