Arrieta Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for this little corner of the coast.

Straight up, it’s a tough start. For the first many days, the swell is messy and the wind is just too strong from the north, creating lumpy, cross-shore chop. The good news is we’ve got a window of cleaner conditions later on, but we have to be patient. The real standout looks to be around the 14th and 15th of September.

The first sniff of anything worth paddling for comes on Friday, September 4th, with surfable but very ordinary conditions. It’s small, only 3ft to 4ft from the north, with a short period of 7 seconds, and the energy is weak (121–148). The wind is a gentle cross-offshore breeze, keeping it clean, but it’s just not enough to get excited about. That pattern of small, weak swell and clean but low-energy surf continues into the weekend and the next week.

The real wait is for Monday, September 14th. That morning, we finally see the swell push up to 6ft from the north, with a period of 8 seconds, delivering moderate energy (471). The wind is a gentle cross-offshore breeze, making for clean conditions. The water temp is about average for the time of year, nothing unusual. This is a solid option for the more experienced surfer, as that 6ft is pushing into the zone where beginners might find it a bit much. The afternoon sees a bit more size at 7ft, but the forecast flags some questionable tide issues, so the morning session is the pick.

Tuesday, September 15th, keeps the momentum going. The morning offers 6ft from the north-northeast, with a gentle cross-offshore breeze and clean conditions. The energy is still moderate (517). It’s a consistent, rideable wave, but the crowds are possible at Arrieta (Lanzarote), as it’s a known reef break that can get busy. The swell direction is not quite matching the optimum swell direction from the north, but it’s close enough to work.

After that, the energy drops off again into the second week, with smaller, cleaner swell but nothing that really stands out. The 17th of September shows a spike in period (12 seconds) from the west-northwest, but the swell height is only 3ft, so it’s a long period groundswell that won’t pack much punch for this spot.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a write-off. The best of the 16 days is the morning of Monday, September 14th, with Tuesday, September 15th morning as a close second. Get out there then if you can.

Rusty.

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