Taft (Siltetz River) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about the outlook for Taft on the Siltetz River. It’s a river mouth set-up, exposed to the west, and it’s an intermediate spot that breaks fairly consistently. The water temp is about average for this time of year, nothing weird going on there.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you: the next week and a half is a real struggle. We’ve got a solid gap from Saturday the 11th right through to about Wednesday the 22nd where the surf is looking pretty poor. The waves are there, but the wind is the problem. It’s blowing from the north or north-northwest almost constantly, which is cross-on or cross-shore for this spot. That means chop, crumbly faces, and generally frustrating conditions. The swell height on the 11th and 12th is around 4 ft to 4 ft from the WNW, but it’s a short-period windswell, and the wind just kills it. The combined energy is moderate (510-522), but with that cross-on breeze, it’s not worth paddling out for. The morning of the 16th shows a bit more size at 5 ft, but same story: onshore wind and a score of zero. Honestly, it’s a bit of a kite-surfing setup through this stretch because the wind is consistent and the waves are messy.

Now, there is a glimmer. The afternoon of Saturday the 18th shows some potential. The swell bumps up to 6 ft from the NW, with a moderate combined energy (1012). The wind is still cross, but it’s the best wave energy of the whole run. It’s still not perfect, but it’s the closest thing to a stand-out in this window. The period is short at 8 seconds, so it’ll be a bit mushy, but if you’re desperate, that’s your window.

The late part of the run, around the 24th and 25th, the swell drops right off to 1 ft, though the period gets very long (21 seconds). That’s a groundswell, but it’s tiny. For a river mouth, that long period might just wash through without much shape. And the wind is still not helping.

The best bet on offer? It’s a weak one. The Saturday afternoon of the 18th of July at Taft. The swell is 6 ft from the NW, wind is moderate cross-shore. It’s not clean, but it’s the only time the energy is high enough to get a few lumpy ones. Don’t expect much, and you won’t be disappointed.

- Rusty

Read more