Cahuil Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get into it. We’re looking at Cahuil.

Right now, the first bit of surf we can talk about starts on Friday 28 August. The swell rolls in solid – 10ft from the WSW with a 13-second period, so there’s proper groundswell in the water. The combined energy is heavy, reading 3158, so that’s powerful stuff. That said, Friday morning is clean with a cross-off N wind at 9 mph, which keeps the surface tidy. This is serious wave height, over 8ft, so it’s strictly for experienced surfers. The water’s sitting at 56°, pretty normal for the time of year.

By Friday afternoon still 8ft of WSW groundswell, still 13 seconds, but the vibe stays clean. Again, expert-only.

Saturday 29 August is the standout. Morning comes in with 7ft from the WSW, 12-second period, and the wind goes totally glassy – dead calm. That’s a yes from me. Clean, lined-up waves with moderate-strong energy (1180) for a morning session. Again, over 5ft, so beginners might find it a handful, but for the rest of you, this is the best of the window. Afternoon sees the wind shift cross-on, and the quality drops off.

Sunday 30 August still has nice 6ft to 5ft swell from the WSW, periods around 11 seconds, and both morning and afternoon are glassy. The energy drops into the 700-800 range, so it’s more relaxed, but the conditions are very good for an intermediate crew. Clean, fun.

After that, from Monday 31 August through Thursday 3 September, the wind turns cross-on or worse, and the swell hangs around 4ft to 6ft, but the conditions are marginal at best. Periods are shorter, and the energy drops below 1000. It’s not the time to get stoked.

Now, 4 and 5 September… Friday 4th is still cross-on and choppy, but hold onto your hats for Saturday 5 September. The afternoon turns glassy again, 6ft from the WSW with a 12-second period, energy at 1048. That’s clean, punchy, and a whole lot of fun for intermediates and above.

Sunday 6 September brings a bigger SSW groundswell – 6ft to 7ft, periods up to 15-16 seconds, and combined energy over 2000. That’s proper power. But the wind is cross-on and moderate, so it’s messy for paddle surfing. The long period and beach break setup might make it better for kite surfing.

Tuesday 8 September is worth a look. Morning and afternoon are glassy, 5ft to 5ft from the SW, periods around 13 seconds. Clean, user-friendly waves with moderate energy (934-760). A good mellow session.

After that, from 9 September onward, the swell settles into the 4ft to 5ft range with mostly cross-on wind or light cross-shore. It’s not total junk, but nothing shouting at you to drop everything. The glassy afternoon on Saturday 12 September with 5ft, 11-second swell from the SW is the last clean window, but energy’s low (647). A small, fun finisher.

Cahuil rarely breaks, so getting this much consistent swell is a treat. Crowds are possible as it’s sometimes busy.

Best bet: Saturday 29 August morning – glassy, powerful, and clean. Second pick: Saturday 5 September afternoon, also glassy.

Rusty.

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