Taft (Siltetz River) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let's get into it. The outlook here for the Siltetz River at Taft is a bit of a mixed bag. The water is running unusually cold for this time of year, about 48°F, which is a solid 12°F colder than what you'd expect – that's a real shock to the system, so bring a thick wetsuit.

We start off with a pretty flat spell. From Tuesday the 25th all the way through to Monday the 31st, there's barely a ripple worth mentioning. The swell is small, mostly around 1ft to 2ft, coming from the southwest with a super long period (16 seconds) but very weak wave energy (around 191 to 268). The wind is cross-onshore for most of it, so it's small, choppy, and not doing anyone any favors. It's a write-off for a good week.

We get a slight bump on Tuesday the 1st of September, with the swell picking up to 4ft from the northwest, but the period drops to a short 9 seconds and the energy is still moderate at 384. It's still crossed-up, so honestly, it's pretty marginal.

The first real window of interest pops up on Thursday the 3rd of September. The swell builds to 6ft from the west-northwest, period hits 10 seconds, and the energy climbs to 992 – that's moderate but getting lively. The wind is light cross-shore. It looks surfable, but the Thursday afternoon bump gets too big. We are looking at 7ft from the west-northwest with a 11-second period and energy at 1386. For a river break, that's pushing into expert-only territory; it might be too much for the average surfer. The wind is a moderate cross-shore too, making it a bit of a handful.

Sunday the 6th of September gives us another solid option. The morning shows 7ft from the northwest with an 11-second period and strong energy at 1260. But again, the afternoon jumps to 8ft from the northwest at a shorter 9 seconds and energy at 1098. The file notes that the wind and tide are favorable, but it's likely too big for the break.

Now, the standout. You want to circle Monday the 7th of September on your calendar. The morning is looking prime. Swell is a solid 7ft from the northwest, period is 9 seconds, and energy is high at 765. But the best part? The wind is glassy. Absolutely dead calm. For a river break like Taft (Siltetz River), that means the surface will be like a mirror. This is your best chance for a clean, powerful session. It's still a big swell for a river mouth, so it will be a challenge, but with no wind, it’s the pick of the fortnight.

After that, things drop off again through the 8th and 9th of September, with smaller 5ft to 6ft swell and cross-onshore winds creeping back in. Nothing to get too excited about.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a total loss. The second week has a few moments, but the glassy morning of Monday the 7th of September at Taft is where you want to be. Get on it.

Rusty.

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