Taft (Siltetz River) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s break down what’s happening at the Siltetz River mouth.

The short story is, it’s a pretty bleak outlook for the next couple of weeks. We’re looking at a long stretch of onshore and side-shore winds messing up whatever small swell is around. The water is running *much colder than normal* for this time of year, sitting at about 52°F, which is a solid 7°F below average – that’s a serious chill, so you’ll be needing a thick suit.

The first real chance of anything doesn't come until Wednesday, August 5th. The swell is forecast to hit about 7ft from the NW with a 9-second period, and the combined energy is moderate (790). The wind is a light cross-onshore, but the problem is the forecast says the swell is predicted to be too big for this river break. When it gets that size, the river mouth turns into a messy, dangerous wash. The same goes for Thursday morning, August 6th, with a similar 7ft NW swell (784 energy) and light cross-onshore – still too big.

There’s a bit of a tease on Friday, August 7th. Early morning, we get a rare offshore wind from the WNW. The swell is still a solid 7ft from the NW, nine-second period, with moderate energy (776). But again, the forecast flags it as too big for the break. Clean conditions, but the river mouth will be a washing machine.

After that, it’s back to choppy, onshore slop for the rest of the first week and into the second. There’s a mention of a long-period groundswell (15 seconds) around August 12th and 13th, but the swell drops to just 2ft and the winds are still cross-onshore, making it marginal. The energy is moderate (501-495), but with that long period and onshore wind, it won’t line up.

For the whole 16-day window, there’s no standout session for a paddle surfer. The best you’re looking at is a few mornings with light wind, but the swell is either too big or too small for the river. If you’re into kite surfing, the moderate to strong side-shore winds on the bigger days, like the afternoon of August 5th and 10th, might be interesting, but for a surfboard, it’s a long wait.

Keep checking the charts, but I’d say it’s time to find a project to work on.

Rusty.

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