El Confital Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s see what’s on the menu for the next couple of weeks. I’ll be straight with you—this one’s a tough read. We’re looking at a long, dry spell before anything even gets close to being worth a paddle.

The first chance you’ll see anything at all is Wednesday the 9th of September at El Confital. Even then, you’re looking at tiny little 2ft waves from the NNW with a modest 10 second period, and the combined energy is a weak 86 (moderate wave energy). The wind is a light cross-offshore breeze, which should keep the surface clean, but it’s just not enough oomph to get excited about. The water temp is about average for the time of year, nothing unusual there.

Honestly, from the start of the period all the way through to the end of the first week, it’s mostly poor. The swell is small, the wind is messy, and the energy readings are low. There’s a tiny pulse on the 8th of September that gets a 129 (moderate wave energy) with a clean cross-offshore wind, but it’s still just 2ft and nothing to write home about.

Things get a bit more interesting when we jump all the way to Thursday the 17th of September. The swell bumps up to a chest-high 4ft from the N, but the period drops to a short, weak 8 seconds. That’s a short-period wind swell, and the combined energy jumps to 294 (strong to very strong wave energy). The problem is the wind is a moderate cross-shore, creating a lumpy mess. The surf is still rated poor, so it’s not a call to skip work.

Then Friday the 18th of September sees a similar story: 4ft from the N, 9 seconds, and a combined energy of 329 (strong to very strong wave energy). The cross-shore winds are still fresh, making it choppy and unappealing. For a spot like El Confital, which is an expert wave that breaks here very consistently, this is just a frustrating run of cross-shore chop.

The standout? There isn’t one. Not a single day in this 16-day window offers a clean, quality wave. The swell stays too small, or the wind ruins it. If you’re a kitesurfer, the stronger wind days on the 11th and 18th might look interesting, but for a paddle surfer, it’s a blank run. For El Confital, this kind of lull is more normal than you’d hope, but forecasts can change. For now, keep the wax in the car and wait for the next update.

Rusty

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