Algarrobo Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, let’s have a look at what’s cooking for Algarrobo over the next couple of weeks.

Alright, so we’ve got a bit of a mixed bag coming up here. The first few days are a bit of a slow burner, but there’s a real standout session brewing for the end of the month that’s got my attention. The water’s sitting at 55° right now, which is about what you’d expect for this time of year – nothing wild there.

Thursday morning kicks things off with a clean 4ft swell from the west, with a cross-off wind from the NNE. It’s just a bit of a gentle introduction. The energy is still pretty weak (269), so you’re not looking at a world-beater. The afternoon, though, that’s where it gets interesting. The swell jumps to 7ft from the west, and the energy rockets up to 1269 – that’s proper moderate energy. The catch is the wind stays cross-off, but the period is a solid 12 seconds. This is bigger stuff, over 8ft, so it’s strictly for the experienced crew. It’s a standout session for the experts.

Friday turns a bit messy. The swell drops a touch, but the wind swings around to a cross and cross-on, making things a bit bumpy. The morning is still 6ft, but the quality is just not there. Saturday morning is a real tease. We get a glassy 3ft swell from the WSW with a very long 16-second period. That’s a gorgeous groundswell, but it’s small. It’ll be clean and lined up, but you’ll be hunting for the sets. The energy is moderate (585). Sunday carries on the same theme with clean, small waves in the 2ft range, but the period is still long, 17-18 seconds, so the shape should be there.

Now, Monday the 27th of July, that’s the big one for the experienced surfers. The morning session sees a 10ft swell from the WSW, with 13-second period and a clean cross-off wind from the north. The energy is massive at 2485. That’s serious power. The afternoon stays 10ft, but the wind switches to a cross and the energy goes even higher to 2806. It’s a monster day, but it’s a big, powerful wave. This is a standout for the crew who can handle it.

Tuesday the 28th settles down a bit to 6ft, with the afternoon looking cleaner with a cross-off wind. Wednesday the 29th is a real gem for the smaller-wave lovers. The morning is a clean 4ft, and the afternoon goes glassy with 4ft. The energy is moderate, but the conditions are perfect.

Then we hit a bit of a rough patch. From Thursday the 30th of July, the wind picks up hard, 15-28 mph, and while the swell is still there, it’s going to be blown out. The energy drops off, and the period gets short and weak. You’ll see a few 3ft to 5ft days, but the wind is just too strong for a decent paddle. This stretch runs right through to the 6th of August. This setup, with the strong wind and consistent swell, honestly looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

The first week of August is a slow grind. The conditions are pretty poor, with onshore winds and choppy waves. We get a few glimpses of hope, like the morning of the 3rd of August with a glassy 4ft swell from the west, but the afternoons get messy again. The 4th of August sees a 8ft swell from the WSW, but it’s onshore, so it’s a bit of a mess.

The real standout, without a doubt, is the afternoon of the 23rd of July for the experts, and the morning of the 27th of July for the big wave hunters. For the cleaner, smaller days, grab the glassy morning of the 29th of July.

Rusty.

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