Cabo Lastres Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s talk in feet and degrees. The next 16 days are pretty bleak across the region, so I’m going to be straight with you. The finder is almost empty for the whole run, and the few moments that show a pulse are still pretty ordinary. There’s a long dry spell from the 23rd of July all the way to the 4th of August with no real surf to get excited about. That’s a solid 12 days of flat to poor conditions. The first suggestion of anything surfable comes on the 4th of August, and even then, it’s marginal.

Let’s break it down. The only spot on the radar is Cabo Lastres (Asturias). It’s a point break that needs an expert to handle it when it’s on, but honestly, it’s rarely on in this window. For the first week and a half, the swell is tiny, the winds are all over the place, and the combined energy readings are weak to moderate at best. On the 27th of July, the swell ticks up to 1.5m (about 5 ft) from the NNW with a 10-second period, and the combined energy hits 455 (moderate to strong), but the wind is onshore or cross-shore, so the surf is poor. By the 4th of August, we finally get a glassy morning, with the swell coming from the ENE at 1.4m (about 5 ft), period 5 seconds, and combined energy at 130 (moderate). The wind is glassy, so the setup is clean, but the swell is short-period and weak. It’s surfable, but very ordinary. The 5th of August morning is similar, with the same glassy conditions and a 1.4m (5 ft) swell from the NE (period 6 seconds, energy 157). These two mornings are the only real windows in the whole 16 days, and they’re nothing to write home about. The water temp is sitting at 71°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year.

The standout, if you can call it that, is the morning of the 4th of August. The wind is glassy, the break is clean, and the swell is from the ENE, which matches the optimum direction for the spot (NW). It’s not big, it’s not powerful, but it’s the only time you’ll get a clean wave. The 5th of August morning is a repeat, but the swell shifts to NE, which is slightly off the optimum. Still, glassy conditions are rare enough around here, so if you’re desperate for a paddle, that’s your window.

Honestly, for most of this forecast, the setup is more interesting for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer. The wind is often cross or cross-onshore, the swell is small, and the quality is poor. If you’re a beginner, the swell never gets above 5 ft, so it’s not dangerous, but the conditions are so poor it’s not worth the effort. For experts, the only time the swell gets above 5 ft is on the 27th of July, but the wind kills it.

Don’t get too down, though. The break is fairly consistent, so it tends not to stay this poor for long. Forecasts can change. Keep an eye on the 4th and 5th of August mornings, and if the wind stays glassy, you might get a few clean, weak waves.

Rusty.

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