Acapulquito-Costa Azul Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, I’m Rusty, and I’ve been watching this patch of coast for a long time. Right now, the outlook is a bit of a slow burn for the first week, but there’s a big pulse of swell building in the second week that could make it worth holding out for.

We’re looking at Acapulquito-Costa Azul (Mexico) – a beach and reef setup. It’s inconsistent and draws a crowd often, so keep that in mind. The water temp is running about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The first week is pretty quiet. From Sunday 9th August through to Friday 21st August, the swell stays small, around 2ft to 5ft, mostly from the SSW. The combined swell energy is mostly mild to moderate (e.g. 484 to 1214), so nothing to get excited about. Winds are often cross-on or cross, with a few glassy windows, but the wave quality is poor to marginal. The best of this stretch lands on Tuesday 11th August afternoon when the wind turns cross-off and clean, and Wednesday 12th August morning and afternoon go glassy – both with 3ft SSW swell (period 16–18 seconds, so a long-period groundswell that’ll peel nicely on the reef). These are the only real highlights of the first week, but the swell is tiny, so you’ll be scratching for waist-high ones.

Then there’s a gap. From Monday 18th August through to Friday 21st August, conditions are mostly poor, with swell dropping to 2ft–3ft and weak energy (252–335). Not worth paddling out.

Now, the standout arrives on the weekend of 22nd–23rd August. Saturday 22nd August morning sees a jump to 6ft from the SE (combined energy 1920, moderate), but it’s a bit choppy. The real deal is Saturday 22nd August afternoon: 8ft SE swell, period 15 seconds, light cross-shore wind, and combined energy hitting 3013 – that’s strong. This is solid, powerful groundswell, and with the reef setup, it’ll handle the long period well. It’s big, so only for experienced surfers.

But the absolute best on offer is Sunday 23rd August morning. We’ve got 13ft from the SSE, period 15 seconds, with light cross-on wind and combined energy of 7417 – that’s very strong. This is a serious swell, borderline intimidating, but it’s clean and the reef will hold shape. Only experts should be out there; beginners will be in trouble. The afternoon holds 13ft from the S, but the wind picks up and periods drop to 13 seconds, so it’s not as good.

Monday 24th August morning still has 10ft SW swell, but periods drop to 12 seconds and energy is down to 2991. It’s marginal, but there will be waves for those who can handle it.

So, the pick of the entire forecast is Sunday 23rd August morning. The swell is massive, the wind is light, and the reef will deliver. After that, the swell fades. If you’re not a expert, wait for the Saturday 22nd afternoon session at 8ft – that’s still a solid, fun size.

Rusty.

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