Maldives Surf Forecast
Hmmm.....that storm down near Heard Island over the weekend and into this morning looks to have weakened on it's western flank compared with the forecast late last week, hence I'm not liking the looks of my forecast for the S'ly groundswell around 4th August and beyond. I'd seriously be questioning anything above 3-4ft from this system now and mainly only around 3rd August. Beyond that it all but dissappears and hence the SE mid range swell will be the dominant swell during this time, and it still looks to deliver around 4ft/4ft+ IMO, maybe even the odd freak set approaching 5ft at the swell magnets come Sunday 5th August.
Hi Don, yeah that swell has been downgraded a touch but I'd be confident still on the inconsistent 4-5ft sets at its peak. Also that windswell for the 5th and 6th does look nice, I'd say 3-4ft+ range through the 5th and 6th.
To craig n don,
Revised plans taking normal board n fish now not the 7'. Appreciate if you could give us a surf report late Friday arv. Thanks boys! Staying at cokes, will keep you updated of results...
Craig,
Apologies for the opposition website, but check out Pic #7 of 22 in this report.
https://www.coastalwatch.com/news/article.aspx?articleId=10690&display=0…;
This is what I'm talking about when a semi-stationary high pressure system sets up camp in the east Indian Ocean. I do recall with this swell however that it also had a low pressure system on it's northern flank, so that helped.
There was also a small SW/S groundswell pushing around this time also, but nowhere near big enough to create these size waves.
Don,
I'm not disagreeing with the fact that those semi-stationary highs produce good swells for the Maldives, but I'm trying to point out that the better quality swells are those long-period S'ly groundswells.
In any case brow-nobbys, you'll get plenty of SE swell with a couple of small and inconsistent S'ly swells in the mix.
Anyone been to the Central Atolls in mid-late September? I am curious what the conditions will be like.
I've been there a bit.. You'll be right funpeeler we'll chase whatever is in that ocean. Weather wise it varies all the time some Septembers have been epic for winds others a little more testing. Interesting analysis of the forecast the last few days, the size will depend on where you are..
BN...sorry mate, been busy. As Craig has alluded too, you've got no shortage of SE swell coming your way. Pretty much constant swell between 3-5ft (with maybe the odd freak 5ft+ set) from what I can see, with the upper end of this size range at the swell magnets commencing from Sunday 5th August, with potentially another decent spurt around Friday week (10th). Enjoy and remember.....pics or it never happened!!!
Hi don thanks for the heads up. Sitting at cooly now waiting.... Will give a report if I get the chance!
Well just got back from an epic trip to the Maldives. Thanks for the swell forecast Don - you were pretty spot on. Will give you an update as to the actual size on each day when I get time. Will also post a few pics as well after I find time to sort through the 1500 photos we took. Cheers.....
Maddog, so glad to hear you scored it mate. Feck me, 1500 photos!!!! Did you spend any time in the water or was it all behind a lens?
He he - yeah got something like 25 surfs ranging from 2ft to 5ft so we scored pretty good i reckon....just so much time in the water. Glassy or offshore all the time. There were 4 of us plus the local surf guide using the same camera so the photos racked up pretty quick. Gonna take a while to weed through them i think...
Hey Don - here's your forecast vs what we actually got.....
Sunday 29th July
Around 3ft of S/SE swell, with perhaps the odd 4ft set at the swell magnets.
Actual: 3-5ft Sultans all day. Pretty solid. One of the best rights I have ever surfed.
Monday 30th July
2-3ft S/SE swell, with the upper end of this size range at the swell magnets. Swell waning slightly throughout the day.
Actual: 3-4ft Sultans all day waning to 2-3ft by end of day.
Tuesday 31st July
Around 2ft SE swell early, with a new pulse of slightly better 2ft+ S/SE swell late in the day.
Actual: 2-3ft Honky's early, 3ft Jails in middle of day, 3-5ft Chickens late arvo. The late session at Chickens was all time and probably one of my best ever surfs.
Wednesday 1st August
2-3ft S/SE swell with perhaps the odd 3ft+ set at the swell magnets.
Actual: 3ft Chickens all day.
Thursday 2nd August
2-3ft S/SE swell. There's also a new pulse of very long period S/SW groundswell moving up through the Maldives. Normally this swell direction doesn't get into the North or South Male atolls, but with this swell direction slightly south of SW and a very long swell period, I think you could see the odd freak set in the 3ft range at the south swell magnets.
Actual: 3-4ft Chickens and Cokes all day.
Friday 3rd August
Combination of mid range 2-3ft SE swell and very inconsistent, long range S'ly groundswell in the 3-4ft class (upper end of this size range more so at the swell magnets) building further to 4-5ft during the afternoon.
Actual: 3ft Chickens building to 5ft in the afternoon.
Saturday 4th August
New pulse of SE swell around 3-4ft+, with very inconsistent 5ft/5ft+ S'ly groundswell (upper end at the swell magnets).
Actual: 5ft Ninja's then headed south for something different.
Sunday 5th August
SE swell around 4ft/4ft+, with very inconsistent 5-6ft S'ly groundswell (upper end at the swell magnets).
Actual: 2-3ft Riptides and Kandooma rights building to 3-4ft in the afternoon. North Male would have been 5-6ft according to local surf guide. No crowds.
Monday 6th August
SE swell around 3-4ft, with very inconsistent 4-5ft S'ly groundswell (upper end at the swell magnets).
Actual: 3-4ft Riptides. No crowds.
The wind - first 5 days we had no wind at all - sheet glass from dawn till dusk. Never seen anything like it. Then 1 day of 10 knot offshore, 1 day of 10 knot cross-shore and finished with 2 days of 10 knot offshore.
So thanks again Don - your forecasts were pretty spot on I reckon. Cheers!
Cheers Maddog. Glad you had a ball, will PM you to discuss a few things offline.
Maddog - sounds like you scored big time.
How does the Maldives compare to Indo foot for foot?
Funpeeler - I'm no Indo veteran so I'm not really sure how it compares to the average swell there but I can tell you I rode my standard shorty (6'4 quad) the whole time in everything up to 5ft.
For power the waves don't seem as thick or as heavy as say West Coast SA but you can still get a bit of a pounding if you're in the wrong spot.
Anyone ever seen it unsurfably flat? I mean like this time of year it is NEVER flat in indo. Always somewhere to surf.
G'day boys. Your Surf report was pretty well spot on. The only trouble was the soueasterly wind blew cross shore all the time. Had good waves except for the wind with some afternoon glassies. Stayed at worse than faulty towers, if anyone's thinking of land camps, don't stay at cokes,, seriously.... Check trip advisor reviews... We are one of the two posted! Def spend the extra money n stay at pasta point or go on a boat, it was shit stayin at "cokes surf villas" for sure! Will never recommend it to anyone, don't waste your money!
about to sign the line for a trip next year...crowds are sounding a bit worrying but a trip to a tropical paradise to good to pass up. Can anyone fill me in on local info eg price o beer, tipping, food safety(bali bellyish), general stuff like that?
BN....wow, SE winds in North Male Atolls in August.......that's not a good sign!!! Suggest everyone needs to know there's two places to stay on Cokes. Coke's Surf Villas, which is where BN stayed and said it was rubbish and then there's Coke's Surf Camp. The title on Tripadvisor is very confusing. By all accounts that I've heard, Cokes Surf Camp is absolutely fine for the price.
woohcs - beer on the boat I was on (Hamathi) was $3.50US a can, $45US for a bottle of spirits. Can't take any alcohol duty free into the country - can only get it at resorts and on boats. Tipping on the Hamathi was up to you but recommended was $50US / person for a 7 day trip. Dunno about land camps. Had no troubles getting sick and the food we got was incredible. The travel vaccination clinic will tell you what shots you need but i didn't bother. Assuming you are staying at one of the camps (besides Cokes Surf Villa's :)) or on a boat then I don't reckon you'll have a problem - you can't eat from stalls on the street like Indo anyway.
You're right about the confusion re cokes! Cokes Surf Camp owned by Brian James is absolutely fine. It's the Cokes Surf Villas, also going by Cokes Island Surfcamp by Lineup Surf Australia run by Wayne Ryan is the one you need to steer well clear of ! I've alerted trip advisor to the difference, but luckily the two reviews on there have made it loud and clear which one is not the place to stay!
Hi DONWEATHER How about surf report for maldives september ? I also h ave heard brians place is fine
Yes please Donweather... Agree with Arty.. Sep forecast would be nice. Me and mates going with LD on 10 Sep. Probably South Male and Central Atolls...
Im going to the Northern Maldives July 4 -11 and looking for someone to give me a heads up forecast during that week. ( Obviously a bit closer to the event) Is there anyone who has a better handle on it than Magic Seaweed?
Best to keep it simple and ask over in this thread as others are also asking in this thread for similar forecasts.
Obviously your dates are still some time away!!!
Anyone know of any links besides Magic Seaweed that do surf forecasts for the Maldives?
Heading there in a couple of weeks and would be good to know in advance if worth packing a bigger board or not.