Salamumu Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right now, Salamumu is dealing with some pretty messy conditions, and honestly, it’s not looking great for the next few days. The first real window of opportunity doesn't open up until Thursday the 17th. Before that, we’ve got a lot of cross-onshore wind and lumpy, choppy surf. Monday and Tuesday are a write-off – there’s plenty of energy in the water, with combined energy readings of 3506 and 1836, but it’s all over the place and the wind is just ruining it. The swell is coming from the SSW, but it’s not doing anything for us with that wind on it.

Now, Thursday the 17th is where things get interesting. The wind swings to the north-northeast and goes offshore, and that’s a game-changer. We’re looking at a clean 5ft of south swell with a period of 14 seconds. It’s not a monster, but for an exposed reef like this, that’s a solid, rideable wave. The water’s sitting at 82°, which is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there. This is the standout of the whole run – clean, offshore, and a proper swell direction. It’s going to be a bit more of an advanced affair, but for those who know what they’re doing, this is the pick.

After that, Friday the 18th still has some clean options, but the swell is starting to back off a bit to around 4ft. It’s still cross-offshore, and the combined energy is dropping to around 1108 in the morning, so it’s a fun, smaller day. Saturday the 19th sees it drop further to around 3ft, and while the wind is good, it’s just getting small.

Then there’s a bit of a lull. Sunday the 20th and into the next week, the swell picks back up again, but the wind turns bad. We’re looking at a stretch from around the 23rd through the 27th where the wind is fresh to strong, mostly cross-onshore, and the surf is just messy. Combined energy spikes back up to 2542 on the 26th, but it’s all for nothing because it’s so choppy and lumpy. There’s a window on the 21st and 22nd with lighter winds, but the swell is inconsistent and the quality is questionable.

The long-range stuff, that second week, is not doing us any favors. It’s all stormy and windy, and the swell direction swings to the SSE with shorter periods – down to 8 or 9 seconds. That’s not good for a reef break like this. It’s going to be a frustrating couple of days, and to be honest, with that much wind and poor surf, if you’re not a surfer, a kite might look a whole lot more fun.

So, bottom line: if you want waves, get out there Thursday morning. That’s your best shot. It’s clean, it’s got some push, and it’s the one real standout in an otherwise pretty bleak outlook. The rest of it is either too small, too messy, or just plain blown out.

Rusty.

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