Taft (Siltetz River) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at the stretch ahead for the Siltetz River mouth.

Right off the bat, it’s a bit of a slow start. The first few days are looking pretty flat and messy, with onshore winds messing up what little bump there is. We’re talking about poor surf conditions through the end of August and into the first couple of days of September. The swell is tiny, under 2.3 feet, and the wind is coming from the wrong direction, so don’t bother paddling out for that.

The first real shift comes on Tuesday, September 1st. The swell picks up a little, to around 3.9 feet, coming from the WNW. The wind goes light offshore in the morning, which is a big positive. The wave energy is moderate (358), but the swell period is short, only 9 seconds, so it’s going to be a bit weak and crumbly. It’s a marginal call, but it’s the first thing that’s not a total write-off.

Then things get interesting. Wednesday, September 2nd, and Thursday, September 3rd, see a big jump in size. The swell hits 6.9 feet to 7.2 feet from the WNW, with moderate wave energy (1163-1335). The period stretches to 10-11 seconds, so there’s a bit more grunt. But here’s the thing – the forecast says it’s too big for this break. The river mouth setup is going to get thumped. This is for experts only, and honestly, with those strong south winds creating a lumpy cross-chop, it’s going to be a battle. The morning of Thursday, September 3rd, has a clean cross-offshore wind, but at 7.2 feet, it’s still too big for most.

The swell drops back down after that, but we get a few more days of small, choppy, and onshore stuff. It’s not until the morning of Sunday, September 6th, that we get a proper standout. The wind is glassy – dead calm. The swell is small, just 2.0 feet out of the SW, but with a super long period of 15 seconds. That’s a long-period groundswell, which means clean, lined-up waves, but it’s going to be very straight at a river mouth. The combined energy is weak (282), so it’s not going to be a big day, but for a glassy morning on a small wave, it’s about as good as it gets right now. Crowds are possible here, so get there early if you want a few.

Looking further out, the second week is a bit of a mixed bag. The 10th of September sees a bit more size, with 4.9 feet from the NW, but the period is a short 8 seconds, so it’s going to be weak and choppy. The 11th of September has the best looking swell of the late period: 5.9 feet to 6.6 feet from the NW, with an 11-second period. That’s 5.9 feet to 6.6 feet, so it’s intermediate to expert territory. The wave energy is strong (907-1058). The wind is light in the morning, but it’s cross-on. It’s marginal, but it’s the best looking option in the second week.

So, the standout calls are the glassy morning on September 6th for a clean, small-wave session, and the bigger groundswell on September 11th for those who can handle a bit more size and cross-shore wind. The big days on September 2nd and 3rd are too big for this spot.

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