Bahia Chileno Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here, and I’ve been staring at the charts for the next couple of weeks. Let’s get into it.

The overall pattern is a slow build. It’s not going to be flat, but the first week is pretty small and ordinary. Saturday the 1st kicks off with a small 2ft SSW swell at Bahia Chileno. The morning is clean with a light cross-offshore breeze but the energy is weak (276). The water is a balmy 86°, which is *much* warmer than normal for this time of year – that’s a real treat. The swell has a solid 12-second period, so there’s some shape to it, but it’s inconsistent here. The afternoon gets blown out with a risk of thunderstorms and a moderate breeze, so the morning is your only window that day.

Sunday the 2nd is the standout of the early period. The swell drops slightly to 3ft from the SSW, but the wind goes glassy offshore from the SSE in the morning. That’s prime. The energy is still moderate (217), but those clean, glassy conditions will have it looking its best. It’s only small, so it’s fun for a longboard or a fish. The afternoon gets chewed up by a strong WNW wind, so get on it early.

Monday the 3rd through to Thursday the 6th is a bit of a lull. Swell stays around 2ft to 2ft, and the winds are mostly cross-offshore or light. It’s surfable but ordinary. You’ll get a few, but it’s not going to set the world on fire. The energy is very low, dipping into the 130s and 160s.

Now, things start to get interesting from Thursday the 6th afternoon. The new swell arrives, pushing 2ft from the SSW, but it’s the period that jumps – up to 18 seconds. That’s a proper groundswell. The energy ramps up to 482, and it’s clean with a gentle cross-offshore breeze. This is the start of the good stuff.

Friday the 7th is a solid option. The swell is 3ft from the SSW, with a 17-second period, and the energy is strong (652). The morning is dead calm with a light offshore wind. It’s the best of the first week, for sure. The water is still much warmer than normal, so you’ll be comfortable.

Saturday the 8th is the best of the entire run. We’ve got a 4ft SSW swell, long 16-second period, and glassy conditions in the morning. The energy is pumping at 630. This is the one to circle. It’s small enough for a fun session but clean and full of energy. The crowds are listed as “sometimes” here, so you might have some company, but it’s worth it.

The second week sees a lot of swell in the water, but the wind gets tricky. Sunday the 9th is still good with 3ft SSW swell and clean conditions, but the energy dips. Monday the 10th and Tuesday the 11th have bigger energy readings (446, 760) but cross-onshore winds will mess with the surface. Tuesday afternoon the 11th cleans up, with 2ft SW swell, 18-second period, and a cross-offshore breeze. That’s a worthy backup.

The 12th of August is clean again with glassy wind and a solid 3ft SW swell. Good energy (407). The 13th has a lot of energy (775 to 1056) but the wind is cross-shore, so it won’t be perfect.

The 14th of August is the biggest swell of the run – 5ft from the SW with a 17-second period, energy hitting 1410. That’s a lot of power. But the wind is a strong cross-onshore, making it choppy and messy. This setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. It’s a shame because the swell has real grunt. The 15th is still big but the wind is lighter, so it might clean up a little, but it’s still marginal.

The last day, Sunday the 16th, is a nice little finisher. 3ft SSW swell, glassy in the morning, and good energy (451). A solid end to the run.

Overall, the standout is without a doubt Saturday the 8th at Bahia Chileno. The glassy wind, the 4ft SSW swell, and the long 16-second period make for a very clean, fun session. The water is much warmer than normal, so it’s going to be a real pleasure. Get in the water.

- Rusty

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