San Vicente Rivermouth Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, I’m Rusty, and I’ve been pouring over the charts for San Vicente Rivermouth. Let’s call it like it is – the next couple of weeks are a real mixed bag, with a whole lot of nothing to start before we get a couple of windows that are actually worth paddling out for. We’re starting on Tuesday, the 18th of August, and honestly, don’t even bother for the first few days.

The beginning is flat and frustrating. Tuesday and Wednesday are tiny – we’re talking 0.7 ft to 1 ft swells with weak energy and poor conditions. The wind is cross or cross-on, keeping things messy. The water here is running about 73°F, which is a bit warmer than usual for this time of year, about 3°F above the norm. Nice for a dip, but doesn’t help the waves. You’re looking at a solid gap of a few days with no real surf to recommend.

Things start to change on Thursday the 20th. We finally get a pulse of energy. The swell picks up to 3 ft in the morning and 4 ft in the afternoon, coming from the NW with periods around 10 to 11 seconds. The combined energy jumps into the moderate range. That’s got a bit more push, but the wind is onshore from the NNW and N, turning it into a choppy mess. Conditions are poor, so while there’s more water moving, it’s not clean.

Friday the 21st sees the swell building further – 5 ft in the morning, 5 ft in the afternoon, still from the NW with a 10-second period. The combined energy gets strong. The morning is only marginal at best with cross-shore wind. The afternoon is borderline with some cross-on wind. Not the day to get excited.

Now, for the one standout in this whole period, and I’m calling it early: Saturday the 22nd of August morning. That is your window. The swell is 4 ft from the NW, with a 9-second period – that’s a nice little groundswell. The combined energy is a solid moderate 202. But the real kicker is the wind: glass – dead calm, flat water. This is the cleanest, most inviting session of the whole run. It’s a river mouth, so that longer-period swell can set up some fun, lined-up waves, especially with the offshore wind direction (SW is offshore here). It’s not huge, but for intermediate surfers looking for a clean wave, this is your morning. Crowds are *sometimes* an issue, so you might have some company, but with conditions this good, that’s just the way it is. This is the best on offer by a long shot.

After Saturday, the surf drops back to small and ordinary. Sunday the 23rd through to Wednesday the 26th is all small, weak, and mostly choppy. There’s a little glassy moment on Wednesday morning the 26th with 3 ft, but the energy is weak and the period is short.

Then we get another spike late in the forecast. Thursday the 27th of August is a big one, but not for the faint of heart. The swell jumps to 7 ft in the morning from the NW with a 10-second period, and the combined energy hits 708 – that’s strong, serious energy. The problem is the wind: 15 mph from the WNW, cross-shore but strong, creating a messy cross-chop. This is expert-only territory, and even then, the conditions are poor. It’s big and bumpy.

Which brings me to the closer. Friday the 28th of August morning is your second real highlight. The swell is still solid at 4 ft from the NW, 10-second period, with 348 combined energy – still strong. And the wind? Glass again. Perfect, clean conditions. This one is promising, but it’s over a week away, so take that with a grain of salt. Still, if it holds, this is the other session to circle. After that, it’s back to small, weak surf with a few glassy dawn patrols that are really only worth it for a quick, ordinary paddle.

So, bottom line: Forget the next two days. Your best bet is Saturday the 22nd of August morning for clean, fun-sized waves. And if you’re an experienced surfer looking for a bigger, cleaner slab, keep an eye on Friday the 28th of August morning, but don’t book it just yet.

Rusty.

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