Salamumu Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s on the menu for the next couple of weeks down at Salamumu. Gotta be straight with you – the first week is a tough one. We’re looking at a lot of junk on the wind front, and the swell is all over the place. The water is a beautiful 81°, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year, so that’s a silver lining.

The first sniff of a real surfable wave comes on Tuesday morning, August 4th. We’ve got a 4ft swell coming from the SW with a period of 13 seconds, which is a nice, solid groundswell. The wave energy is moderate at 570. The problem is the wind is a cross-on from the SSW at 3 mph, so it’s light but not clean. The report says it’s marginal, and I’d agree. It’s a session for the die-hards, not a classic.

From Tuesday afternoon right through to the morning of Tuesday, August 11th, it’s a write-off. The wind is just too strong, mostly from the SE and SSE, and it’s hammering the place. The swell gets bigger, with a peak of 10ft on Saturday, August 8th, but the wind is a near gale. That’s blown-out, messy, and dangerous, especially for a reef break. The wave energy on that Saturday is a massive 2037, which sounds fun, but it’s just a washing machine. If you’re a kite surfer, this setup might look interesting, but for paddle surfing, it’s a no-go.

Now, we start to see a bit of light on Tuesday afternoon, August 11th. The wind finally drops to a cross-off from the ENE at 12 mph, and the wave comment says “clean.” That’s the word we’ve been waiting for. The swell is 4ft from the S at 13 seconds, with a moderate energy of 1115. It’s still a little lumpy in the morning, but the afternoon session on the 11th and Wednesday morning the 12th are the best of the first week. It’s not perfect, but it’s a step in the right direction.

Then we hit another dry spell. From Wednesday afternoon, August 12th, all the way through to the morning of Sunday, August 17th, the wind is back onshore and the swell drops. It’s small, choppy, and not worth your time.

Here’s where it gets interesting. The standout for the whole outlook is the afternoon of Tuesday, August 18th. The wind is a clean cross-off from the ENE at 12 mph, and the wave energy is a very strong 3430. We’re looking at a 7ft swell from the SW with a period of 19 seconds. That is a very long period groundswell. For a reef break like Salamumu, that’s the kind of energy that lines up and barrels. The wave quality is rated as the best we’ve seen, a solid 4 out of 10. The wind is clean, the swell is proper, and it’s a Tuesday afternoon so the crowds will be manageable. This is the one to be aiming for. It’s over a week away, so lock it in but don’t be surprised if the forecast wobbles a bit. Wednesday morning, August 19th, looks similar, but the wind is a cross-shore, so not as clean.

So, to wrap it up: the first week is a washout. There are a couple of marginal windows on the 11th and 12th. The real prize is the afternoon of Tuesday, August 18th. That’s the one to get excited about.

Rusty.

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