Taft (Siltetz River) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get stuck into this one.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – this is a tough stretch for Taft (Siltetz River). We’re looking at a long, dry spell with nothing really worth paddling out for. The first solid chance of a wave doesn’t show up until the afternoon of Tuesday, July 21st, and even then, it’s a tricky one. That’s a solid 11-day gap from the start of the forecast with no real recommendations.

The first few days are a write-off. Friday the 10th through Sunday the 13th, we’ve got small, weak swell – around 2 ft to 4 ft – but it’s all cross-onshore wind. The energy is there (combined energy around 371 to 551), but the wind just messes it up, making it choppy and poor. The water temp is about average for this time of year, nothing to write home about.

Monday the 14th and Tuesday the 15th, the swell drops even more, down to 1 ft to 2 ft, with a super long period from the WSW (18-20 seconds). That’s a groundswell, but it’s tiny and the wind is a cross-shore mess. Not worth the drive.

We finally see a bump in the road on the 16th, with a 5 ft NW swell showing up on Thursday afternoon, but it’s a short period (8 seconds) and the wind is a moderate cross-shore. The combined energy jumps to 723, but it’s still poor conditions. That theme continues through the weekend of the 18th and 19th – 6 ft swells, but with that short period and moderate cross winds, it’s just not clean.

Now, here’s the one standout, and it’s a big “if” – Tuesday, July 21st afternoon. The forecast shows a 7 ft swell from the NW with a 9-second period. The combined energy hits 837. Now, here’s the catch: the report says it might be too big for this break, and the wind is a moderate cross-shore. But for the experienced crew, that’s the only window where the energy is actually solid and the tide and wind might line up. For a river break, the long-period groundswell days are a bit of a gamble, but this is the only real pulse we get. It’s a big call, but if you’re an expert and you can handle a bit of chop, that’s the session to aim for. Beginners, stay well clear – anything over 5 ft is a handful, and this is pushing 7 ft.

After that, it fades again. The 22nd and 23rd have some size but the wind is back to being a problem, and by the 24th and 25th, we’re back to tiny, long-period ghosts.

So, to sum it up: a long, slow start, one big, expert-only window on the 21st, and then a fade. Keep an eye on the forecasts, because this stretch tends to change, but right now, patience is the name of the game.

Rusty.

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