Sakawa River Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's cookin' for the Sakawa River.

Honestly, for the next couple of weeks, this stretch is looking like a bit of a slow burn. We've got a decent pulse of swell kicking off the weekend, but it's got some issues. The water is sitting at 74.7°, about 2.3° cooler than usual for this time of year, so you'll feel that nip in the air when you're sitting out there.

The action starts Friday, July 10th, with a solid 6.2 ft to 7.5 ft south swell. The wave energy is pumping – we're talking over 2200 (combined energy) – but the wind is a cross-onshore breeze, and it's a long period 14-16 second groundswell. That kind of period can make a river mouth like this one a bit tricky, as it tends to just wall up and close out. The outlook is "marginal," and frankly, the conditions are a bit choppy. It's a so-so start to the weekend.

Saturday, July 11th, is much the same story. The swell holds around 6.9 ft from the SSW, still with that long 16-second period, and the wind is a bit more cross-shore, but still not clean. The energy is massive again, but the quality just isn't there for a standout session. Sunday, the 12th, the swell starts to drop, down to 5.2 ft in the morning, and by the afternoon it's down to 4.6 ft with a risk of thunderstorms. The energy is still moderate to strong, but the winds are light and variable, mixing things up.

Then it all goes quiet. From Monday, July 13th, all the way through to Wednesday, July 22nd, the swell drops right off. We're looking at waves under 3.3 ft, most of the time under 1.6 ft, with weak energy – often less than 100. The wind is all over the shop, but it's mostly onshore or cross-onshore, and the ratings are all zeroes. That's a solid ten-day gap with pretty much nothing worth paddling out for.

The calendar flips, and we get a tiny flicker of life around Wednesday, July 22nd, and Thursday, July 23rd. The swell pushes back up to 3.9 ft from the S, with energy finally climbing back into the hundreds. But it's still "marginal" at best, and the wind is either onshore or light cross-onshore. It's not enough to get excited about.

The best bet in this whole 16-day window, and I mean the only one that's even close to a standout, is the Friday morning, July 10th. The Sakawa River is kicking off with a solid 6.2 ft S swell carrying a massive energy reading of 2221. Yes, the wind is a light cross-onshore, but the sheer size of that long-period groundswell is the only thing that's going to give you a proper wave. It's going to be fat and powerful, and for a river mouth, that long period might actually line up a few proper walls. It's a big, powerful, and very full-on wave for intermediates. The crowds are listed as "sometimes," so expect a few others with the same idea. Honestly, after that, it's a waiting game.

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