Saltwater Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s coming up for Saltwater. We’ve got a solid run of waves on the horizon, but it’s a bit of a mixed bag with some real standouts and a few days where you’ll want to sit it out.

The overall pattern kicks off with a strong pulse of S swell that’ll keep things interesting for the first week. The water temp is sitting at 66°F, which is pretty much spot on for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The run starts Tuesday the 8th. Morning is a bit messy with rain showers and a cross-off 25 km/h wind, but the swell is a solid 8ft from the S at 9 seconds. The energy is moderate (931), and it’s surfable, but the wind makes it feel a bit average. The afternoon cleans up nicely though – wind drops to 15 km/h, still cross-off, and the swell holds at 7ft from the S. The energy drops a bit (806), but conditions are way better.

Now, Wednesday the 9th morning is the first real standout. The wind goes glassy, dead calm from the WNW at 5 km/h, and the swell is a clean 5ft from the SSE at 9 seconds. The energy is moderate (340), but that glassy surface is going to make it pure silk. This is a beginner-friendly size, and with the point breaking so clean, it’s a great session for everyone.

The rest of Wednesday afternoon gets a bit wind-affected again, and Thursday the 10th brings a big jump in size. Thursday morning sees 10ft from the SSE at 10 seconds – that’s a lot of water moving. The energy is strong (1832), and while it’s clean, 10ft is expert territory. Thursday afternoon is similar at 8ft. Friday the 11th is still solid with 8ft in the morning, but the wind is cross-off, so it’s more about the bigger-wave crew.

Saturday the 12th morning is another glassy gem. Light ESE at 5 km/h, swell 5ft from the SSE, 9 seconds. Energy is moderate (452). It’s a perfect window for the point.

After the 12th, the surf really drops off. Sunday the 13th through Tuesday the 15th is a gap – tiny, weak, onshore wind, basically no good options. The swell is under 3ft and the energy is low (110 to 362). It’s a 3-day blank run.

Then we get a nice little pulse back on Wednesday the 16th. Morning brings 7ft from the SSE at 9 seconds, with a light 10 km/h cross-off wind. The energy is moderate (675). It’s a solid, clean day that’s worth getting in the water for. The afternoon holds at 6ft.

Thursday the 17th morning is glassy again with 4ft from the SSE – a nice, clean, smaller follow-up. After that, we’re back into a long stretch of poor to ordinary conditions. Friday the 18th through the end of the outlook on the 23rd is mostly onshore winds, tiny swell (under 5ft and mostly under 3ft), and very low energy (89 to 239). The swell direction shifts to the NE, which isn’t ideal for the point. There’s a few glassy moments on the 18th, 20th, and 22nd mornings, but the swell is just too small (2ft to 3ft) to get excited about. The 23rd gets a bit of a NE wind increase to 30 km/h, so that’s a write-off.

So, the two true standouts: Wednesday the 9th morning with glassy conditions and clean 5ft surf, and Wednesday the 16th with a solid 7ft pulse and light cross-off winds. The 16th is a bit bigger, but still manageable for confident intermediates. Crowds are likely at Saltwater, so get there early for the glassy sessions.

That’s the picture from here. Keep your eyes on the horizon, and I’ll be out there.

Rusty

Read more