Taft (Siltetz River) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here, and I’ve gotta be straight with you – the next two weeks at Taft (Siltetz River) are a bit of a tough watch. The river mouth setup is a tricky one, and the forecast is throwing a lot of swell at it that’s just too big for the spot to handle cleanly. The water’s sitting at 56°, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year, so you’ll want a good hood and gloves.

The first few days are a write-off. Tuesday the 1st is a mess – cross-shore wind and chop, with a weak 3ft to 4ft swell that’s short-period and ugly. No one’s getting out there. Wednesday the 2nd and Thursday the 3rd see a big jump in energy, with a 8ft to 10ft swell from the SSW and WNW, but the combined energy is massive (up to 2413), and the rules say anything over 8ft is only for experts. For a river break, that’s just too much power – it’s gonna be a washing machine. Not recommended.

Then we hit a dry spell. From Friday the 4th through to Monday the 8th, the swell drops to 2ft to 5ft, and the wind is mostly light or glassy. The energy is weak (between 331 and 543), and the waves are small and gutless. Friday afternoon the 4th is glassy with a 4ft WNW swell, but it’s just not enough to get excited about. Saturday the 5th morning is dead flat with a 2ft, 16-second groundswell – long period, but at that size, the river mouth won’t shape it. You’re looking at a solid 5-day gap of nothing worth paddling for.

The real tease comes in the second week. From Tuesday the 9th onwards, the swell starts pumping again, but it’s the same old story – too big for the break. Wednesday the 9th afternoon has a 7ft NW swell with 13-second period and moderate cross-shore wind, but the energy is strong (1607), and it’s flagged as “too big.” Thursday the 10th morning, 7ft again, same issue. The standout date is September 16th – Wednesday morning and afternoon both have a 8ft WNW swell, 12-second period, and glassy cross-off wind, with combined energy soaring to 2381. That’s a proper groundswell, but at this break, it’s just too much. The swell direction (WNW) is a perfect match for the optimum (W), and the wind is clean, but the size puts it out of reach for anyone but the best in the water and even then, the river mouth might not hold.

Honestly, if you’re after a paddle, there’s no standout window here. The setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing when the swell is big and the wind is cross. Keep an eye on the forecasts, but right now, I’d say give it a miss.

Rusty.

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