Salamumu Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’m not gonna sugarcoat it – this 16-day stretch for Salamumu is a tough one. We’ve got a solid run of decent swell, but the wind is just not playing ball for most of it. The water’s sitting at a warm 82°F, which is about bang on normal for this time of year, so at least that’s comfortable.

The first real chance to get wet doesn’t look all that appealing. Starting Wednesday the 15th, we’ve got a 3 ft SW groundswell with a very long 15-second period – that’s got some serious energy (834 combined energy) – but the wind is howling from the SE at 25 mph, putting it right onshore. It’s a write-off. That trend sticks right through the rest of the week and into the next. There’s plenty of swell in the water, with some pulses pushing 7 ft on the Friday and Saturday, and the energy numbers are climbing into the thousands (990-1990), showing there’s a lot of power out there. But it’s all coming with a strong cross-onshore breeze, making everything messy and lumpy. Not worth paddling out for.

We hit a bit of a lull from the 20th to the 26th. The swell drops back, but the wind just won’t let up. The 22nd sees a brief window of cleaner conditions as the wind swings to the cross-off, but the swell is only 3 ft from the SSW with a 16-second period. It’s marginal, a bit of a tease, and the tide might be a factor. The energy is still moderate (1113), but it’s not enough to get excited about.

The real highlight, and honestly the only one I’d call a standout, shows up on the 30th of July. Thursday morning we’ve got a 5 ft SW groundswell with a 16-second period, which is a proper long-period groundswell – great for a reef like Salamumu, giving it shape and power. The energy is strong (1164). But the best part is the wind: a light SE breeze at just 6 mph, keeping it clean with only small wind ripples. A score of 3 out of 10 is the best we see in the whole period. It’s not a huge day, but it’s the cleanest conditions on offer by a long shot. The afternoon stays similar, just a touch less energy (1124). Crowds are sometimes a factor here, so you might have a few others around, but that breeze is the golden ticket.

So, if you’re holding out, pencil in the 30th of July. Everything else in this 16-day window is either blown out or too marginal. It’s a long wait, but the forecasts can change, and this spot doesn’t stay poor forever.

Rusty.

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