Cabo Lastres Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, it’s Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you – this 16-day window for Cabo Lastres is a real tough one. We’re looking at a long, frustrating stretch of poor surf conditions before we even get a sniff of anything rideable. The good news? There’s a glimmer of hope at the end of the tunnel.

For the first several days, it’s a write-off. From now through July 26th, the swell is tiny, the wind is mostly cross or cross-on, and the wave energy is negligible. We’re talking about a combined energy reading of just 7 (weak) on Saturday morning, July 18th, with a pathetic 1 foot of swell from the north. It’s just not worth paddling out. The wind stays messy, and the swell never gets above a paltry 3 feet until very late in the week. Don’t bother.

The first real sign of life arrives on July 27th (Monday). It’s over a week away, so keep that in mind, but the models are starting to show something. We’ve got a 5 foot swell from the northwest pushing in. The morning is looking like the better call, with glassy, offshore winds from the north at just 3 mph. The period is 9 seconds, which is a solid groundswell. The combined energy jumps to 349 (moderate). It’s not perfect, but it’s the first time we’ve had clean conditions. The afternoon gets a bit windier, but still offshore from the NNE at 6 mph. This is our best bet for the whole run.

The swell continues into July 28th (Tuesday) with 5 feet from the NNW, but the wind is more cross-shore. The real standout, however, is the best session of the entire forecast. Mark your calendars for July 29th (Wednesday morning). We’re looking at 6 feet of swell from the NNW with a very long period of 11 seconds. Combined energy is a strong 711 (strong). The wind is a gentle cross-shore from the east at 9 mph. This is the one. That long period will make for some powerful, well-shaped waves, especially at a point break like this. It’s too big for beginners, but for the experts, this is the day to be in the water. The afternoon gets choppy, so hit the morning session.

After that, the swell fades out quickly. The last few days of July and into August are back to tiny, weak surf with mostly cross-on winds. There’s a glassy moment on July 31st (Friday morning) with 2 feet from the NW, but it’s just too small to get excited about.

Bottom line: The first week and a half are a total bust. The standout is the Monday, July 27th morning for clean, offshore 5 foot waves, but the real prize is Wednesday, July 29th morning with that bigger, longer-period NNW swell. That’s the one to wait for. The rest is just filler.

Rusty.

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