Zicatela Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s coming up for Zicatela. We’ve got a solid run of surf ahead, but it’s not all for the faint of heart. The water is sitting at 88°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so you’ll be sweating in your wettie.

The big story is Wednesday morning, July 8th. That’s your standout. We’re looking at a clean 6ft SSW groundswell with a long 16-second period. The combined energy is pumping at 1441 (strong wave energy), and with glassy conditions and zero wind, it’s going to be absolutely pristine. This is proper, powerful surf for experienced surfers only—anything over 5ft is pushing it for beginners, and this is well into that territory. The crowd factor is a “sometimes” thing, so you might have some company, but with waves this good, it’s worth it.

Thursday morning, July 9th, drops a touch to a still-fun 4ft SSW swell, same long period, and again glassy with calm wind. The energy is still solid at 887 (moderate wave energy). It’s a step down in size but still very, very good.

Friday morning, July 10th, holds at 4ft SSW, 15 seconds, with a slight breeze that’s almost offshore. The energy is 817 (moderate). It’s clean, but watch the afternoon—a risk of thunderstorms and a cross-onshore breeze will mess it up.

Saturday and Sunday mornings, July 11th and 12th, are both glassy with 4ft and 4ft SSW swells, respectively. The energy stays in the 650-955 range (moderate). These are great morning windows, but the afternoons get sketchy with wind or storms.

There’s a bit of a gap in quality from Monday, July 13th, through to Thursday, July 17th. The swell dips to 3ft and below, and while the mornings are often glassy, the energy drops to 257-636 (weak to moderate). It’s still surfable, but not the same punch.

Now, look ahead to Saturday, July 18th. A new pulse of 2ft SW swell with a very long 18-second period hits. The energy is 769 (moderate). That’s a long-period groundswell, which means it’s going to be super clean and lined up, but it might be a bit too straight for the beach break—it’ll be better on the point or reef. Sunday the 19th and Monday the 20th see the swell build back to 4ft SW, with energy climbing to 882 (moderate). The mornings are glassy again.

The real long-range promise is Tuesday, July 21st. The morning looks glassy with a 4ft SW swell, 16-second period, and energy of 932 (moderate). That’s a serious contender for the second week. It’s a bit far out, so take it with a grain of salt, but if it holds, it’ll be another cracker.

Overall, the best of the best is that Wednesday, July 8th, morning session. After that, the mornings are your friend—always glassy or near-glass, with clean, long-period groundswell. The afternoons are mostly a write-off with onshore wind or storms. Don’t bother with the gear if you’re a beginner; this is for the crew who can handle a solid, powerful wave.

Rusty.

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