Sakawa River Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, it's Rusty. Let's talk about what's cookin' at the Sakawa River for the next couple of weeks.

Right now, the first few days are a total washout. From Thursday, 30 July through Saturday, 1 August, it's pretty much flat. The combined energy is tiny, like 20 to 40 – that's barely a breath of wind on the water. Mornings are glassy, which is cruel, but the swell is just too weak and short to do anything with. Don't bother.

Then things flip the script. On the morning of Sunday, 2 August, the Sakawa River wakes up with a 1.0m swell from the ESE, a 16-second period – that's proper groundswell – and the energy jumps to 538. Glassy winds that morning mean it'll be peaky and clean. That SE direction is exactly what this spot likes. This is the standout: Sunday, 2 August morning. Not a huge wave, but for a river break, that long-period, clean, glassy 1.0m swell is money.

After that, the swell goes nuts. Monday, 3 August brings 1.9m from the ESE with cross-shore wind, energy near 2000. By Tuesday, 4 August it's 3.0m, and Wednesday and Thursday (5 and 6 August) we're lookin' at 3.5m to 4.0m with energy over 8,000. That's way too big for this river. The notes say wind and tide are favorable, but the swell is predicted to be too big for this break. It'll be a dangerous, washing machine mess for anyone but absolute experts, and the cross-shore winds will chop it up.

The swell drops a bit but stays big and messy into Friday and Saturday, 7 and 8 August. 2.5m to 3.0m, onshore winds, rough conditions. Not a good look.

The next real chance is Sunday morning, 9 August. The swell has dropped to a manageable 1.1m from the ESE, 14-second period, and – you guessed it – glassy winds. The energy is 695, and the forecaster says "expect very good surf conditions." That's another standout session. Good, long waves at the river mouth.

After that, Monday and Tuesday (10 and 11 August) drop right off. Small, weak, poor. Another little bump comes in on Wednesday, 12 August morning – 1.4m from the ESE with 13-second period, but the wind is cross-shore, so it's just okay. By Wednesday afternoon it gets bigger to 2.2m but with cross-onshore wind, so it's choppy.

The rest of the second week, right through Friday, 14 August, keeps some size – 1.3m to 1.7m – but the wind stays cross-on or onshore, and the period drops to 10 seconds. The energy is moderate, but the quality isn't there. It's messy.

So, bottom line: Your best bets are the glassy, clean mornings on Sunday, 2 August and Sunday, 9 August. The mid-week stuff is big and ugly. Watch those Sunday windows.

Rusty.

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