Saltwater Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at the surf on offer at Saltwater.

Alright, overall, we've got a decent run of surf coming up, but don't expect everything to be firing all day. The water temp’s around 66°F, which is pretty average for this time of year, nothing unusual there. The first week has a few real highlights, but there are also plenty of periods that get mucked up by the wind, so you'll need to pick your moments. The second week looks more promising, especially for the crew who aren't afraid of some size.

The action kicks off Sunday morning, August 2nd. We’re looking at a 5ft SSE swell with a 10-second period. The energy is moderate (731), and with 3 mph northerly winds going glassy, it’s going to be clean. That’s a solid call for a point break like Saltwater. The challenge is that the swell direction is SSE, and the spot likes it from SE, but the quality will still be there. For a beginner-friendly spot that’s fairly consistent, you could do a lot worse. Just know the crowds can be an issue here, so get out early.

Sunday afternoon, the wind shifts to a cross-onshore ENE breeze at 9 mph, and the swell pushes up to 6ft from the SE. That’s looking more marginal and choppy, so probably not worth the effort.

Monday and Tuesday are flat and wind-affected, with small swell and poor quality. So it’s a quiet spell, don’t waste your time.

Wednesday afternoon, August 5th, is where it gets good again. We’ve got a 4ft SSW swell with a short 6-second period, but the SW wind is offshore at 12 mph. Even though the period is short, that offshore breeze will clean things right up, and the energy is still moderate (341). It’s a solid session for a quick, punchy wave.

Thursday morning, August 6th, is even better. Glassy conditions with a 3 mph WSW wind, and a 4ft S swell at 8 seconds. Clean, fun, and the energy (217) is there. This is a top pick for the week.

Friday morning, August 7th, is another beauty. Glassy winds again, with a 5ft S swell at 10 seconds. The energy jumps to 421, so there’s some punch in these waves. This is likely the standout of the first week.

The weekend (August 8th and 9th) drops off in size and the winds get messy again. Small, poor surf, so maybe give it a miss.

Now, looking into the second week, there’s a big turn. Tuesday morning, August 11th, we’ve got a 5ft S swell with a long 11-second period, and WNW cross-offshore winds at 9 mph. The energy is strong (620), and it will be clean. A long-period swell like this will wrap nicely around the point at Saltwater. This is promising.

The real standout of the whole forecast is Friday morning, August 14th. Hold onto your board. We’re looking at an 8ft SSW groundswell with a 10-second period. The energy is massive (2041), and there’s a glassy 3 mph SW wind. That’s going to be big, powerful, and clean. This is not for beginners – over 8ft is only for experienced surfers. But for the crew that can handle it, this will be the session of the fortnight at Saltwater. It matches the optimum swell direction well.

Saturday, August 15th, gets even bigger but the wind turns onshore and messy, making it more of a beast than a beauty. Sunday morning, August 16th, still has a solid 7ft SSE groundswell with an 11-second period, and clean offshore SSW wind at 6 mph. The energy is strong (1328). Another top session for experienced surfers only.

The tail end of the forecast, Monday August 17th, drops back to a cleaner but smaller 4ft SSE swell, with light winds. A nice way to wind down.

So, to wrap it up, the best on offer for the average surfer is Thursday morning, August 6th, and Friday morning, August 7th. For the experienced crew looking for power, make sure you're out there Friday morning, August 14th.

Rusty

Read more