The Rivermouth Surf Forecast and Surf Report

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

The pickings are slim for a while, I’m not gonna lie. The surf cranks up a little as we head into the second week, but it’s a long wait for anything that’s really worth paddling out for. The only spot we’ve got to look at is The Rivermouth, a sandbar that’s a rarity around here – it rarely breaks, so keep that in mind.

Right now, from Tuesday the 4th through to Saturday the 8th, it’s a flat spell. The swell is tiny, mostly under 3 ft, and the wind is cross-onshore, which is killing any chance of a wave. The energy is weak, and the comment is ‘poor surf conditions’. It’s a total write-off for a solid week.

Now, things start to shift on Sunday the 9th. We get a jump in swell to 4 ft from the WNW, with a moderate period of 10 seconds. The combined energy hits 612 on Sunday morning, which is solid moderate. The wind is still cross-onshore, but it’s a very light breeze, so the surface won’t be a complete mess. This is the first day it’s even worth mentioning, although it’s described as ‘marginal’ due to tide issues. This marginal trend continues into Monday the 10th and Tuesday the 11th, with similar swell around 4 ft to 5 ft from the WNW, and energy levels staying in the high 400s to mid 500s. The wind stays light and cross-onshore, so it’s not clean, but there’s some push.

The best window in the whole outlook looks to be Saturday the 15th and Sunday the 16th. The swell drops back a bit to 3 ft to 4 ft, but it’s coming from the SSW, which is the optimum direction for The Rivermouth. The period is a solid 16 seconds, which is a proper groundswell – that means longer lines and better shape for a sandbar, though it can sometimes make it a bit too straight. The energy is strong, hitting 702 on Saturday morning. The wind is still a light cross-onshore, which is a shame, but it’s not strong enough to totally ruin it. This is the standout period, but that "rarely breaks" label means you have to be patient and pick your moment.

Water temp on the first day of surf (Tuesday the 4th) is 58° with a tiny anomaly of 0.2°, so it’s right where you’d expect it for this time of year.

Honestly, for the first week, don’t bother. The best bet is that Saturday the 15th and Sunday the 16th, but keep your expectations in check – it’s a finicky spot.

Rusty.

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