San Vicente Rivermouth Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, it’s Rusty here, and I’ve got a look at the San Vicente Rivermouth stretch for the next couple of weeks. Now, I gotta be straight with you—this isn’t one of those epic runs where you’re scrambling for your board every day. We’ve got a fair bit of waiting around, but there’s a couple of moments that might just make it worth your while.

The first half of this period is pretty grim. From Friday the 24th through to Sunday the 27th morning, it’s a write-off. Strong cross and cross-onshore winds, a lot of chop, and the swell is a messy, short-period affair. The water is sitting at 73°F, which is a whopping 4°F warmer than usual for this time of year, so it’s going to feel like a bath, but that’s about the only positive.

Then, things get interesting. Monday morning, the 27th of July, is the standout. The wind drops right out, going glassy from the NE at just 3 mph. The swell is a solid 5 ft from the NNW with a proper 10-second period. That’s a long-period groundswell, and the combined energy hits 401, which is a solid, moderate push. For a river mouth like this, that long period and direction (NW being the optimum) is a real treat. The break is fairly consistent, and it’s fairly exposed. The waves will have shape and power, and with that glassy morning, it’s going to be clean as a whistle. Crowds are *sometimes* an issue here, so get in early to beat the rush. For a brief window, this is the best on offer.

The afternoon of the 27th gets ruined by a cross-onshore, and Tuesday the 28th is touch-and-go. Tuesday afternoon goes glassy again with a 3 ft swell from the NW, but the energy is lower (194) and the conditions are just “ordinary”. It’s surfable, but nothing to write home about.

After that, we drop into a long, flat, and choppy run. From Wednesday the 29th all the way through the end of the month, we’re looking at tiny, weak swells (1 ft to 3 ft) with poor conditions. The first of August shows a bit of a pulse—Saturday afternoon on the 1st sees a 4 ft NW swell with 11-second period and a combined energy of 454, but it’s ruined by a cross-onshore wind. Still, it’s a sign of life.

The next possible window is Sunday, the 2nd of August, through Monday, the 3rd of August. The swell builds to 5 ft from the NW, with periods of 11 to 12 seconds. That’s a significant amount of energy (644 on Sunday afternoon). However, the conditions are only described as marginal, with cross-onshore winds. That 5 ft is getting a bit solid for a river mouth, and with the wind, it’s going to be a handful. This is for the more experienced crew only.

The run then fades out again, with tiny, weak swells and glassy mornings on the 4th and 5th of August, but the waves are too small to get excited about. The final days on the 7th and 8th of August are just more of the same: small, weak, and mostly messy.

So, to boil it down: the absolute best bet is Monday morning, July 27th. That glassy 5 ft groundswell is your ticket. The long-range pulse on the 2nd and 3rd of August has power, but it’s a gamble with the wind. Get on that Monday session if you can.

Rusty.

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