The Rivermouth Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here, and I’ve got the lowdown on The Rivermouth for the next couple of weeks. This spot is a sandbar that rarely breaks, so we’re already working with a picky setup. The water is sitting at 59°F, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so that’s a nice little bonus when you’re sitting out there.

The overall pattern is a slow burn. The first few days are pretty ordinary with small swell and light cross-onshore breezes, so don’t expect much to get excited about just yet. The real action starts to build from Friday 24 July and carries through the weekend, with the standout being Friday morning. That’s when we get glassy conditions and a 2ft SSW groundswell with a very long period of 24 seconds. The combined energy is 728 (moderate), and with that period, the waves will have plenty of shape and energy, but they’ll be long and clean, perfect for the river mouth setup. The wind is glass, zero chop, so it’ll be as clean as it gets. The afternoon is still good with a cross-off breeze and similar swell.

Saturday 25 July morning is also a cracker – glassy again, 3ft SSW swell at 21 seconds, and combined energy of 974 (still moderate but pushing higher). This is about as good as it gets here for a rare-breaking spot. Crowds are likely at The Rivermouth, so get in early if you can.

After Sunday, the swell drops off a bit through the start of the new week, but there’s a pulse of bigger energy on Monday 27 and Tuesday 28 July, with swell heights around 3ft to 4ft and combined energy in the 1100-1400 range (strong energy). The wind is mostly cross-off or light cross, so conditions are still workable, but it’s more marginal with cross-on hints. The period on these is still long (18-19 seconds), so the river mouth should handle it well.

From Thursday 30 July, the swell direction shifts to WNW and the period drops to 8-9 seconds, which is a shorter-period wind swell. The heights pick up to 5ft-6ft, but with cross-on winds and that short period, it’s not going to be clean. This is more for the experienced crew who can handle a bit of chop, and honestly, it might be more interesting for a kite session than a paddle.

From Friday 31 July right through to the end of the outlook on Wednesday 5 August, it’s a real struggle. Swell stays small, period is short, winds are mostly cross-on, and the conditions are rated poor. There’s a solid 6-day gap from Saturday 1 August to Wednesday 5 August where it’s not worth paddling out unless you’re desperate.

So, the best on offer is Friday 24 July morning at The Rivermouth – glassy, long-period SSW groundswell, clean and fun. Saturday 25 July morning is a close second. After that, the window narrows. Keep an eye on the longer-range stuff, but it’s looking ordinary.

Rusty.

Read more