Rick's Reef (Tamuning)
- Shortboard, Advanced riders
- Best for
- Expert
- Skill Level
- Ocean, Swell
- Spot Type
- Busy
- Crowd Level
This spot information is AI-assisted and has not been human verified. It may be incomplete, outdated, or incorrect. Verify safety, access, local rules, and current conditions with official or local sources before riding.
About
Rick's Reef is an exposed right-hand reef break near the Sheraton area in Tamuning. The spot is characterized by sharp coral and rocks, and the reef can be extremely unforgiving—especially at low tide—so timing and navigation of the entry/exit channel matter. Surf performance is best with North swell, with working swell sizes noted around 1.0 to 1.5m that can build up toward 2.5m+ (depending on conditions). The preferred tide is mid to high, particularly rising tide; on low tide the reef depth is too shallow and the chances of hitting coral increase sharply. Wind direction also plays a major role. Southeast winds in October are described as offshore/cleaning for the wave, while other wind directions can cause the wave to blow out. When the swell is on, the surf can become fairly busy, so reef awareness and spacing around the lineup are important. The wave can vary between hollow/short rides and more peeling, more powerful wave shapes; in larger surf it tends to hold size but can become very heavy, and currents can increase. Skill level is consistently described as advanced to expert, and standard reef-protection measures such as a helmet and reef-appropriate footwear are recommended.
- Right-hand reef break
- Best with North swell and high or rising mid tide
- Southeast winds tend to provide clean offshore conditions in October
- Well-regarded right-hand reef break with consistently rideable waves when the swell and tide align.
- Southeast offshore winds in the best period help keep the face clean.
- Sharp, shallow coral/reef with rocks makes low-tide conditions very dangerous.
- Can get quite busy in the water when the surf is up.
Wind, water and seasons
Wind
- Direction
- SE
- Offshore directions
- ESE
- Wind Range
- 10–20 kts
- Wind Type
- Trade — Southeast winds in October are described with clean offshore behavior for the right-hand reef break.
- Reliability
- fair
- Gust Factor
- Light gusts — Light gusting reported.
- Best Months
- October
- Shadow Zones
- High-rise hotel building above the spot creates significant wind shadows and turbulence near the shore.
Water & beach
- Water Type
- Ocean, Swell
- Beach
- Mixed — Mixed composition reported; reef access is via beach/paths near the hotel.
- Beach Size
- Small
- Waves
- Huge — Reported as huge overall; working range described more specifically for optimal swell.
- Launch
- Small — Access via a path near the hotel leading to a paddle-out through a break in the reef.
- Launch Difficulty
- Difficult — Difficult entry/launch due to sharp reef and shallow water near shore.
Through the year
Can get busy on weekends and during peak winter swells.
Typhoon season (July through November; fall through early spring).
By sport
What to expect for each.
An exposed right-hand reef break behind the Sheraton area in Tamuning. The reef bottom is sharp and unforgiving; when the swell is right it offers right-hand waves that can range from hollow/short to powerful peeling rides.
- Wave Direction
- Right
- Optimal Swell
- N
- Swell Height
- 1–2.5 m
- Optimal Tide
- High — Best when on mid and high tide, especially rising tide.
- Shelter
- Exposed — Exposed reef break.
- Wind Effect
- Southeast winds are described as providing clean offshore conditions; other wind directions (especially north) can blow it out.
- Bigger Swell
- Holds size well but becomes very heavy; currents can increase significantly as the swell grows.
- Wave Quality
- Good — Wave quality described as good.
- Wave Power
- Moderate — Moderate power; still described as powerful when the wave is on.
- Wave Shape
- Hollow — Hollow but short waves are noted; other reporting describes peeling waves.
- Peel Speed
- Medium — Peeling wave behavior reported.
- Ride Length
- Short — Short (< 50m) reported in one source; other reporting describes 50 to 150m with typical around 100m.
- Typical Ride Length
- 50–150 m
- Ride Length Details
- Short (< 50m) reported in one source; another reports normal rides of 50 to 150m depending on swell angle and connection (typical ~100m).
Check the forecast before you go
See wind, waves, weather and session windows for Rick's Reef (Tamuning) in the full forecast view.
Rick's Reef (Tamuning) wind and wave forecast summary
- Wind
- 3–12 ktsGusts 20 kts
- Direction
- ENE60°
- Strongest day
- Sun, Oct 2512 kts
- Windy days
- 1/712 kts or more
- Waves
- 0.5–1.2 m9s period
- Temperature
- 26–30 °C
Over the next 7 days, Rick's Reef (Tamuning) is forecast for daytime winds of 3–12 kts, peaking around 12 kts on Sunday, October 25 with gusts to 20 kts. The prevailing direction is ENE. Waves run 0.5–1.2 m with a period of about 9s. Based on the Wavind model, in the spot’s local time.
Other spots in the area
What to know before you launch
Safety, access, restrictions, rescue, and local rules can change. Treat these details as informational and confirm them locally before launching.
Hazards
- rocks
- sharp coral reef
- shallow reef
- sharp coral
- sea urchins
- submerged rocks
- strong rip currents (can increase when swell sizes increase)
Rescue & support
- Lifeguard
- None — No lifeguards reported at the reef.
- Rescue & Self-Rescue
- No — No rescue availability reported for the spot itself.
- Localism / Vibe
- Moderate — Moderate localism reported; respect the lineup and local surfers.
Rules of the spot
Respect local surfers; the lineup is often small and can be competitive.
- Only ride this spot on a mid to high tide; low tide is too dangerous due to the very shallow, sharp reef.
- Beware of rocks and shallow reef—conditions can get quite busy when the surf is up.
- Go at mid to high tide; low tide is extremely shallow and the reef is unforgiving.
- Watch locals to find the correct entry and exit channel through the reef.
Getting there & access
- Nearest City
- Tamuning
- Nearest Town
- Tamuning
- Parking
- Available in the employees parking lot at the left side of the Sheraton Hotel
- Access
- Beach access is from the left side of the Sheraton Hotel via the employees parking lot. Go to the end of the parking lot, take stairs up to the pool, then go right of the pool to another set of stairs down to the beach.
- Cost Level
- Moderate
- Local Language
- English
What's on the beach
- Accommodation
- Nearby town — Sheraton hotel / resort area (and other nearby accommodations reported).
- Food & Drink
- Multiple restaurants and bars are located within adjacent hotel and the nearby Tamuning area.
- Equipment Rental:
- No rentals available directly at the reef; surf shops are located in Tamuning.
No schools or services are listed for this spot yet.
From riders who've been here
Latest reported conditions
Spot questions
Frequently asked questions
When is the best season at Rick's Reef (Tamuning)?
The best overall months at Rick's Reef (Tamuning) are October.
Which wind directions work at Rick's Reef (Tamuning)?
Rick's Reef (Tamuning) works with SE winds. Offshore directions are ESE.
What skill level is Rick's Reef (Tamuning) suitable for?
Rick's Reef (Tamuning) suits these riding levels: Surfing: Advanced to Expert.