Algarrobo Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s happening at Algarrobo.

We’ve got a solid 16-day window ahead, but it starts off with a bang for the experienced crew. The first real surf shows up on the morning of Tuesday, July 28th, with a solid 8ft W swell rolling in. The wave energy is pumping hard at 1548 (moderate to strong), and with a 12-second period, this is proper groundswell. The wind is a light cross-off from the N at 6 mph, keeping the reef/pier setup clean. The water is sitting at 56°, which is pretty much normal for this time of year. This is a standout for experienced surfers – the size and power are there, but it’s not for the faint-hearted.

That afternoon, the swell drops a touch to 7ft, but the wind swings NW and goes cross-on, making it a bit scratchy. The scores drop off, and it’s more of a marginal call.

Wednesday, July 29th, morning is a gem. The swell drops to 4ft from the W, but the wind goes glassy – dead calm from the SSE at 3 mph. The wave energy is 537 (moderate), and it’s clean as a whistle. For a mellow session on a longboard or a funboard, this is your window. The afternoon sees a shift to onshore W wind at 9 mph, and it gets messy – not worth paddling out.

Thursday, July 30th, is a write-off. The morning has 4ft swell but a howling NNE wind at 16 mph, and it just gets worse in the afternoon with 6ft and 22 mph winds. That’s more kite-surfing territory than paddle surfing.

Friday, July 31st, is a write-off too. Heavy rain in the morning and light rain in the afternoon, with constant cross-off winds from the NNE/NE at 9 mph. The swell is 6ft dropping to 5ft, but the quality is poor. Skip it.

Then we hit a really nice stretch. Saturday, August 1st, morning is a standout. The swell is 6ft from the SW, period 12 seconds, and the wind is glassy from the S at 3 mph. The wave energy is 1089 (strong), and it’s clean, powerful, and set for experienced surfers. The afternoon gets a light cross-on, but the morning is the pick.

Sunday, August 2nd, is a nice little drop-off. The swell is 3ft from the SW in the morning, with a light cross-off breeze from the NNE at 6 mph. The wave energy is 291 (weak), but it’s clean and fun for a longboard session. The afternoon is similar with 3ft and a longer period 8-second windswell.

Monday, August 3rd, is a bit of a dud with cross-on winds and choppy conditions. Not worth the drive.

Tuesday, August 4th, through to Thursday, August 6th, sees building swell, but the wind is consistently cross-on from the SSW, keeping things choppy and messy. The swell hits 8ft on Thursday morning, but the wind is 9 mph from the S, so it’s only for the stubborn.

Now, here’s the big one. Friday, August 7th, morning is the standout of the entire outlook. The swell is a solid 10ft from the SW, with a 14-second period – that’s a very long period groundswell. The wave energy is 4010 (very strong). The wind is dead calm, glassy from the SSE. This is a heavy, powerful, clean day for experts only. It’s going to be a freight train at the reef. The afternoon sees a shift to a cross-off N wind at 12 mph, which cleans it up but it’s still 10ft – still massive.

Saturday, August 8th, is still solid with 8ft from the SW, but the wind is a moderate cross-off from the N at 16 mph. It’s clean, but the size is still only for the confident.

Things taper off from Sunday, August 9th, with 5ft dropping to 4ft by the afternoon, and the wind stays cross-off from the N. The wave energy drops to 977 (moderate) by the afternoon. Monday, August 10th, has a nice glassy afternoon with 4ft from the SW and a 13-second period – clean and fun for a sunset session.

The last few days, August 11th and 12th, are small. Tuesday morning has 4ft, and Wednesday morning has a tiny 2ft with glassy conditions. The wave energy is 240 (weak). It’s a board-finisher, not a trip-maker.

Overall, the real standouts are the morning of Wednesday, July 29th, for the clean, small stuff, and the morning of Friday, August 7th, for the big, powerful, glassy groundswell. That Friday is the one to circle on the calendar. The water temp is about average for the year, so a 3/2 or a 4/3 will be fine.

Rusty out.

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