Cabo Lastres Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s doing for our stretch of coast.

To be honest, it’s a pretty bleak outlook for the next couple of weeks. There’s a long stretch of nothing much happening. The first real chance of even a surfable wave doesn’t show up until Wednesday, the 26th of August, and even then it’s nothing to write home about. We’re looking at a big gap of flat or poor conditions before that.

Let’s break it down. For the first few days, you’re better off doing something else. Friday the 21st has a 5ft to 6ft NW swell, but the wind is a mess – cross-shore and cross-onshore – making it choppy and poor. Saturday the 22nd is even smaller, with a 3ft NW swell on the morning and messy cross-winds. Sunday the 23rd stays tiny, with a glassy 1ft swell in the morning but it’s barely a ripple. The energy is weak, with combined swell energy readings all under 200 (173, 155, 140 etc.), so there’s just no power. Monday and Tuesday are even smaller, with combined energy dropping to 29 and 46. The water temperature is around 72°F, which is a touch warmer than normal for the time of year.

Finally, on Wednesday the 26th of August, we get a glimmer. The morning shows a 2ft swell from the WNW, combined energy of 73 (still weak), but – and this is the key – the wind is glassy from the N. It’s only rated as “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions,” so don’t expect much. Thursday the 27th morning is a bit better: a 4ft WNW swell, combined energy of 201, with a light WSW cross-offshore wind making it clean. That’s probably our first decent window for a paddle, but it’s still small and the swell period is a short 7 seconds, so the waves will be a bit soft and weak.

Then we get a bit of a tease. Friday the 28th of August looks like a bigger pulse of swell is coming – 6ft to 7ft NW swell, with a long period of 10-11 seconds and combined energy jumping to 768 and even 1468 on the afternoon! That’s strong to very strong energy. But the wind is a total letdown – cross-shore and then strong cross-onshore, making it choppy and lumpy. It’s a shame, because the swell has some real grunt, but the wind is going to ruin it.

Now, here’s the standout. Saturday the 29th of August. The morning is looking like the best session in the whole forecast. We’ve got a 5ft NW swell, with a 10-second period, combined energy of 517 (moderate to strong), and the wind is glassy – absolutely calm from the WNW. That’s the kind of clean, lined-up surf that makes this place work. The swell direction is coming from the NW, which is the optimum direction for this break. This is a point break, so these long-period NW swells can wrap in nicely and give you some proper walls. The water’s still that touch warmer than normal. Expect a few others out, but it’s going to be worth it. That’s your window.

After that, things drop off again. Sunday the 30th has a 4ft NW swell and glassy conditions again in the morning, but the energy is lower (235). It’s surfable, but nothing special. The rest of the week into September is a slow fade-out, with tiny swells, poor directions, and mostly cross or onshore winds. The 31st of August has a light offshore wind in the morning (S 6 mph) with a 4ft NW swell, but the period is short (8 seconds) and the energy is moderate at best. By the 5th of September, we’re down to 1ft swells with combined energy of 14 – essentially flat.

So, to sum it up: if you’re keen, sit tight until Saturday the 29th of August. The glassy morning with a solid 5ft NW swell is your best bet. The rest of the time, it’s mostly a waiting game.

Rusty.

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