Taft (Siltetz River) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for the next couple of weeks.

Honestly, it’s a pretty grim start. We’re lookin’ at a whole lot of nothin’ for the first few days. The Siltetz River mouth is the only show in town, but from Monday 17th through to Thursday 20th, it’s just a mess. The swell is small and weak, the wind is a constant cross or cross-onshore messin’ things up. The combined energy stays stuck between 228 and 670 (that's moderate at best), and it’s just not worth paddlin’ out for. You’d be better off stayin’ home.

Then, finally, a flicker of hope. Friday morning the 21st of August. The wind drops to glassy, and even though the swell is still tiny at 3ft from the WNW with a 10-second period, that’s a window you can work with. The combined energy hits 405, so there’s a bit of push, and with the river mouth setup, a little long-period groundswell can wrap in and give you a clean little wave. This is the best you’re gonna get in the whole run. It’s still small, but the glassy conditions make it worthwhile for a longboard or a funshape. The water temperature is 53°, which is a whopping 7° colder than normal for this time of year – that’s very unusual, so you’ll want a thick wetsuit, maybe booties too.

After that glassy Friday, it’s back to the grind. The wind picks up again and the quality drops. Saturday and Sunday are poor, and we go into a long stretch of mediocre to poor conditions. The 25th of August Tuesday afternoon sees a brief spike in swell size to 5ft from the NNW, but the period is a short and crumbly 6 seconds, so it’s all chop and no shape. The energy is 502, but it’s just not a good wave. After that, it’s a long, dim run of weak, choppy, and messy surf right through to the end of the month and into September. There’s a bit of a pulse around the 30th of August with 4ft swell and 552 energy, but the wind is cross and the period is a short 9 seconds again. It’s just not comin’ together.

So, to sum it up: your only real chance is Friday morning the 21st of August. Get out there early, it’s glassy and the river mouth will be clean. The rest of the 16-day window is a write-off for decent surf. The water is bitterly cold, and the wind just won’t play ball. It’s a tough stretch.

Rusty.

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