Salamumu Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, crew, Rusty here. Let’s get straight into it. We’ve got a window that starts with a bang, but you’re gonna need to be sharp, because the ocean’s got a split personality this fortnight.

The first few days are the real deal. We’re looking at a solid, long-period SW groundswell rolling in. Monday the 17th kicks things off with a clean 3ft of swell at 16 seconds. It’s cross-offshore, light breeze, and the water’s sitting at 80°, which is pretty much spot on average for this time of year. The energy is moderate at 601, and with the conditions as glassy as they are, Salamumu is going to be a treat for anyone who can handle the reef. This is the kind of day you tell your mates about.

Then Tuesday the 18th is the standout. The swell bumps up to 5ft, still at that nice long 16-second period, and the morning is pure glass. Dead calm, zero wind. The energy jumps to 1084, and the wave comment says it all – excellent for experienced surfers. This is the pick of the entire forecast. The afternoon stays clean with a slight SSE breeze, still glassy, energy even nudging up to 1164. If you can only paddle out once, make it Tuesday morning.

Wednesday the 19th is where it starts to turn. The swell is still there at 5ft, but the wind swings to a cross-onshore ESE and SE at 9 mph. It’s not terrible, but the surface gets a bit of texture, and the call is marginal. The energy holds around 1028, but it just won’t be as perfect as the day before. It’s a so-so day for the advanced crew.

From Thursday the 20th, things get messy. The wind kicks up, the swell jumps around, and the quality drops off a cliff. We’re going to see a period of strong cross-onshore winds and lumpy, messy surf. The swell actually gets bigger – peaking Friday the 21st at 7ft and Saturday the 22nd at 7ft – but the wind is just ruining it. It’s a lot of water moving, but it’s going to be a washing machine out there. This is when the setup starts looking like it’s more for the kite crew than for us paddle surfers. For the next week or so, from the 20th through to the 31st, it’s a real battle. The energy is often strong, getting up to 2656 on Saturday afternoon, but the wind states are consistently “messy”, “lumpy”, or “choppy”. It’s a long, frustrating stretch.

The swell does back off a touch into the 23rd and 24th, and the period holds, but the wind doesn’t give us a break. Even when the swell drops to 3ft on the 24th, the wind is still howling. There’s a day with a brief period of SE cross-shore wind on the 28th, but it’s still rough. Honestly, this whole run looks scrappy.

So, the plan is simple. Hit it hard on Monday the 17th, and definitely don’t miss Tuesday the 18th. That’s your window. After that, it’s likely a waiting game until the forecasters start lying to us again. The long-range stuff at the end of the month has some period in it, but the wind just won't cooperate. We’ll just have to see if it cleans up. For now, make the most of the early week. This is Rusty, signing off.

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