Sakawa River Surf Forecast and Surf Report

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

Right off the bat, I gotta be honest with you – the first week is a bit of a struggle. The surf is small and the wind is just not playing ball. We’ve got a bit of a wait on our hands before anything really gets going. The standout window is a solid week and a half away, on Saturday the 18th of July, but hold on, because there’s a glimmer a few days earlier too.

Let’s start with the early part. Sunday the 12th of July through to Friday the 17th is pretty grim. The swell is tiny, mostly under 3 ft, and the wind is constantly cross-onshore, putting a nasty little ripple on the surface. The water temp is sitting at 75°, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year, so you might want a spring suit. The combined wave energy is weak, barely cracking 100 (114) on the Sunday morning, and it just drops off from there. Honestly, it’s not worth paddling out for.

Now, Monday the 13th of July morning is a tease. The swell drops to 3 ft from the SSW, but the wind goes glassy – dead calm. That’s a rare treat, and the river mouth will look clean. But the problem is the wave height is just too small to get excited about, and the energy is only 289. It’s surfable, but you’ll be fighting for scraps. If you’re desperate for a paddle on a longboard, you might get a few, but it’s not a standout.

Then we hit a proper dry spell. From Tuesday the 14th through to Friday the 17th, the swell completely flatlines. Heights are down to 1 ft to 2 ft, energy is below 100, and the wind is either cross-onshore or onshore. It’s basically a lake out there. This is a real gap of nothing.

But hold on to your board, because Saturday the 18th of July is where it gets interesting. The swell jumps up to 8 ft from the SE early on Saturday morning, with a period of 13 seconds. That’s a solid groundswell, and the energy is massive – 2132! The wind is cross-shore in the morning, which is a bit messy, but by Saturday afternoon, the wind swings to a light cross-offshore from the NNE at 6 mph, and the surf cleans right up. The swell drops to a still-meaty 8 ft from the SE, and the energy is 1321. The river mouth will be handling that size, so this is for intermediate to advanced surfers only. This is the best on offer by a long shot. The wind is clean, the swell is big, and it’s from the SE, which is the optimum direction for this spot. The crowd factor is listed as “sometimes,” so be prepared for a few others to have the same idea.

After that peak, Sunday the 19th of July sees the swell drop back to 5 ft from the SE, but the wind goes back to a light cross-onshore, so it’s not as clean. The energy drops to 325. It’s still surfable, but not a patch on the day before.

The rest of the second week, from Monday the 20th to Monday the 27th of July, is a mixed bag of small to moderate swell, but the wind is persistently cross-onshore or onshore, keeping the waves lumpy. The swell is mostly from the SE or SSE, with periods bouncing between 9 and 13 seconds. There’s no other real standout. The energy levels are moderate at best, staying under 1000. The river mouth will be inconsistent and certainly not worth the drive for most.

So, in short: endure the first week of nothing, then get your eyes on Saturday the 18th of July. That afternoon session with the 8 ft SE swell and clean cross-offshore wind is the one to circle. The rest of the time, you’re better off fixing your dings.

Rusty.

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