Cordoama Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, it’s Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the cards for the coming couple of weeks. I’ll be straight with you – it’s a bit of a tough stretch for the region, but there’s a flicker of hope if you’re patient and a bit of a masochist.

First up, the water is sitting at 66° which is a solid 4° colder than normal for this time of year. That’s a notable chill, so a good 4/3 wetsuit is going to be your best mate.

We kick off the forecast period on Monday the 27th of July, but don’t get excited. The swell is a weak 2.6 ft from the NNW with a short, snappy period of 6 seconds. The wind is onshore from the NW, and the combined wave energy is a measly 106. It’s going to be a messy, poor surf day. Honestly, the board is staying in the car.

Tuesday the 28th and Wednesday the 29th are more of the same story. Wave heights bob around 2.3 ft to 3.3 ft, but the wind is a persistent cross-onshore or onshore breeze from the N and NNW. The water is lumpy and choppy, and the energy is moderate at best (217 and 122). There’s nothing here to get excited about. The surf is poor.

Thursday the 30th and Friday the 31st see the swell drop right off. We’re looking at 1.3 ft to 3.3 ft of weak, short-period wind swell from the WNW and NW. The wind is a brisk cross-onshore, up to 12 mph, which just churns the surface. The energy is weak, dropping to 63. This is a flat spell. Don’t bother.

The first weekend of August (Saturday the 1st and Sunday the 2nd) is a bit of a write-off. The swell bumps up to 3.6 ft – 3.9 ft from the NNW, but the period is a pathetic 6 seconds, making for a crumbly, weak wave. The wind is a fresh 15-19 mph cross-onshore or onshore, creating lumpy, choppy conditions. The energy is moderate (150-177), but it’s just not clean. Poor surf.

We then slide into a few days of small, weak swell from Monday the 3rd to Wednesday the 5th of August. Wave heights are 1.6 ft to 3.0 ft, with a moderate cross-onshore wind. The energy is weak to moderate (64-116). It’s still not worth paddling out for.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting, but only for the brave. From Thursday the 6th of August onwards, the swell really starts to build. We see a jumper in wave height, hitting 4.9 ft on Thursday morning, then 6.2 ft in the afternoon. By Friday the 7th of August, it’s 8.2 ft from the NNW, with a period hitting 8 seconds. The energy is getting strong, hitting 996 on Friday afternoon. Then Saturday the 8th of August is still big, with a 6.9 ft onshore swell from the NNW.

This is the standout window, but it comes with a massive caveat. The wind is still a problem. It’s onshore from the NNW or NW, and from the 9th of August onwards, it cranks up to a fresh to strong breeze, gusting 19-28 mph. The surf will be big, but it will be a total mess – strong cross-onshore, lumpy, and messy. This is more of a survival mission than a fun session. The wave energy is very strong (326-1203), so there’s plenty of power, but it’s all directed poorly.

For the dedicated experts, Cordama (Cordoama) is the only break on the list. It’s an exposed, consistent spot, but it’s an intermediate-level wave. With the swell over 8.2 ft from Friday the 7th through the second week, this is experts-only territory. The wind is going to be a constant battle. The optimum swell direction is NW, and the forecast is a mix of NNW and NW, which is a decent match. But the wind is never offshore. It’s a cross-onshore or onshore mess. The crowds are listed as "sometimes", so with the dirty conditions, you might have it mostly to yourself.

Given the persistent onshore wind and the size, this setup honestly looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing for most of the period. The only real window of opportunity for a paddle surfer would be the early morning of Saturday the 8th of August, when the wind is a gentle 9 mph onshore, and the swell is a huge 6.9 ft. It’s still onshore, but lighter, so it might be the least ugly of a very ugly bunch.

For the rest of the second week, it’s just big, windy, and poor. The 16-day window ends with a whimper of strong onshore winds and big, messy surf.

So, to sum it up: the best, and really only, stand-out is the big swell window from Thursday the 6th to around Tuesday the 11th of August at Cordama. But it’s

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