Taft (Siltetz River) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, it's Rusty here. Let's get into it. The next 16 days are looking pretty grim for us, with a real lack of quality surf. There's a glimmer of hope early on, but then we're staring down a long stretch of flat, messy conditions.

The only real chance to get wet is at Taft (Siltetz River). It's a fairly consistent spot, but it's exposed to the west, so it needs the right swell.

The week kicks off on Monday, 20th July, but it's a write-off. We've got a lumpy, 5ft swell from the NW with a short 8-second period, and the wind is blowing cross-on at 6 mph. The water is a chilly 54°, which is 5° colder than normal—that's a lot colder than what you'd expect for this time of year. The combined energy is moderate at 583, but it's gonna be a messy, rippled mess.

The real standout, the only one worth a look, is a very brief window on Wednesday, 22nd July. The morning brings a glassy, clean surface with a light wind from the north at just 3 mph. The swell drops to 2ft, but it's a long-period groundswell from the SW with a 14-second period (combined energy of 403). That long period means the waves will have some shape and power, but at a river mouth, it can straighten out. Still, if you're desperate for a slide, this is your shot. The afternoon makes a mess of it again with a cross-on wind.

After that, it's a slow decline. Thursday the 23rd sees a bump in size to 4ft from the NW with a 9-second period, but the wind switches across the compass, keeping things messy. Friday the 24th has a similar 5ft NW swell, but again, the wind is all wrong. The combined energy gets up to 651 in the morning, which is solid, but the marginal conditions ruin it.

From Saturday, 25th July, right through to the end of the forecast on Tuesday, 4th August, things go completely dead. The surf is tiny, with heights mostly under 3ft, and the wind is a constant cross or cross-offshore breeze at 9 to 19 mph. The period drops short, and the combined energy fades to weak levels. The poor surf conditions just keep piling up. It's a long, blank run of nearly two weeks, so don't hold your breath.

That's it. One clean morning, and then a whole lot of nothing. Forecasts can change, but right now, it’s looking like a time to wax the longboard and just enjoy the beach.

Rusty.

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