Zicatela Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. The next couple of weeks are looking pretty good for Zicatela, with a solid run of consistent swell out of the southwest. The water’s a touch warmer than normal for this time of year at 88°, so that’s a nice bonus. The first few days are a bit of a slow start, but we’ve got some real standouts coming up.

The surf kicks off on Monday the 17th, but it’s a bit of a write-off for the afternoon with an onshore wind and only marginal conditions. The combined energy is moderate at 694, and the swell is 4ft from the SW with a 15-second period, which is a nice long groundswell. That longer period means better shaped waves, but it’s best for the point and reef setups here. Not the day to get excited.

Tuesday the 18th morning is where it starts to get interesting. Glassy, clean, with a light WNW breeze at 6 mph. The swell is 4ft from the SW, 14-second period, and the combined energy is moderate at 554. The forecast says “expect very good surf conditions.” That’s your early morning window.

Wednesday the 19th morning is another glassy one, with the same 4ft SW swell, 15-second period, and moderate energy at 553. Again, clean and fun. The afternoons get a bit scrappy with onshore winds, so mornings are the go.

Thursday the 20th morning is glassy with no wind, but the swell drops to 3ft from the SSW with a 14-second period and combined energy of 349. Still rideable, but smaller.

Friday the 21st and Saturday the 22nd mornings are glassy again, with swells around 3ft to 4ft. The Saturday morning swell is 4ft from the S, 10-second period, and combined energy of 496. Good for a paddle, but the period is a bit short.

Sunday the 23rd has a long period of 18 seconds, but the swell is only 2ft, and the winds are a bit messy. The combined energy jumps to 732, showing that longer period has more punch, but the size is small. Not a standout.

Now, the real highlight comes on Friday the 28th of August. The morning is glassy, clean, with a 3ft SSW swell and a 16-second period, and the combined energy is strong at 906. That’s a solid groundswell with good shape. This is a prime session.

But the absolute best on offer is Saturday the 29th of August morning. Glassy conditions, with the swell hitting 6ft from the SW, 17-second period, and combined energy of 1756. That’s strong wave energy. This is excellent for experienced surfers – it’s over 5ft, so beginners might find it a bit much, but for the crew that knows what they’re doing, this is as good as it gets. The long period will make the waves peel nicely along the point, with clean glassy faces.

Sunday the 30th morning is also excellent, with a 5ft SW swell, 15-second period, and combined energy of 1203. Another one for the experienced crew.

The rest of the window into early September holds smaller, manageable surf, but Saturday the 29th morning is the clear standout. Remember, the long period swells like this can break a bit straight at beach breaks, but at Zicatela, it’s a classic point and reef setup, so that caveat isn’t an issue.

Rusty.

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