Algajola Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the table for the Algajola region over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – this stretch of coast is looking pretty quiet for a while. The first week or so is a real struggle. We’ve got a dry spell from Thursday the 20th of August all the way through to the end of the month. There’s barely a ripple to speak of, with the combined swell energy sitting at next to nothing, often under 100 (as low as 7, 0, 1). The winds are messy, too – mostly cross or cross-onshore, sometimes howling up to 25 mph, and the swell that does show up is short-period, windswell junk. It’s just not worth paddling out for. If you’re a beginner, you might get a dribble on the morning of Sunday the 23rd when it’s glassy, but at 2 ft from the west with only 34 units of energy, it’s more of a float than a surf.

Then we hit a bit of a turning point. On Friday the 28th of August, the swell starts to ramp up in a big way. A west swell pushing 10 ft with an 8-second period hits, and the combined energy jumps to 1303 – that’s strong. But the wind is howling at 12–22 mph from the southwest and west-southwest, and it’s cross or cross-onshore, leaving it lumpy and messy. That’s more of a kite-surfing show than a paddle session. The same goes for the next few days: solid west swell (7 ft to 10 ft, energy between 542 and 1268) but always with a cross-shore chop from the southwest wind. Too rough for clean waves.

Now, the standout moment in this whole forecast comes on Thursday the 3rd of September. Thursday morning, the stars align for a short window. The swell is a solid 8 ft from the west with an 8-second period, and the combined energy is 765 (strong). But the real magic is the wind: light, cross-offshore from the south at just 6 mph. That’ll keep the faces clean and lined up. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so no worries there. This is the one to aim for – a proper morning session for experienced surfers. That 8 ft is a bit much for beginners, but for the crew who know what they’re doing, it’s the pick of the bunch. The break is Algajola itself, a fairly exposed spot that handles that west swell well. Just keep in mind it’s inconsistent, so you’ll wait for the sets, but when they come, you’ll be glad you waited.

The rest of the first week of September is a bit of a mixed bag. The 1st of September Tuesday morning has a glassy 6 ft west swell (351 energy), but it’s onshore by afternoon. Wednesday the 2nd is a marginal call with 8 ft and a cross-shore breeze. Friday the 4th of September drops back to tiny 3 ft – the fun’s over.

So, to wrap it up: if you’re itching for a paddle, hold out for the morning of Thursday the 3rd of September. That’s your best bet. The rest of the time, it’s mostly blown out, flat, or just too messy. Keep an eye on the forecasts, but for now, that’s the story.

Rusty.

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