Darigayos Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Well, well, well… grab a seat, because for Darigayos, this is a tough one to write. I’m looking at a long, dry stretch here. We’ve got a solid gap of surf no-man’s-land right from the start.

From Monday the 24th right through to the end of the week, it’s pretty much a write-off. The combined swell energy is sitting at zero (0) all the way through Thursday the 27th, with cross and cross-shore winds kicking up a horrible chop. With those storm risks daily, it’s just not worth paddling out. That’s four full days with nothing to offer.

We start to see a pulse of tiny energy on Friday the 28th, but even then it’s not enough. The swell bumps up to a measly 1.0ft by the afternoon, coming from the NNE with a nice long 14-second period. Still, the combined energy is only 37 (around 37), and it’s a cross-onshore mess with 25 km/h winds. That’s going to be choppy, lumpy and just not fun. Saturday and Sunday don’t get any better – we’re talking 3ft of short-period windswell on the 30th but with strong SSW winds. The quality is poor across the board.

It isn't until we hit Tuesday the 1st of September that the wind finally swings offshore, but with zero swell… clean but flat doesn’t put a smile on this face.

Then, on Wednesday the 2nd, we get a glimpse of hope. A small 2ft swell from the WNW, period of 9 seconds, and – get this – it’s clean in the morning with cross-offshore SSE winds at 20 km/h. The combined energy sits at 87, so it’s weak. Still, this is the first moment where a longboard might catch a couple of tiny, clean peelers. Don’t expect any power, but the wind is right for once.

But then it’s back to lumpy cross-shore junk through Thursday and into the first half of Friday the 4th.

Now here is where one session rises above the rest. On Friday the 4th of September, the swell picks up noticeably – 4ft from the west at 10 seconds. The combined energy jumps to 311 (moderate). However, the morning still has stiff crosswinds. The real window is Friday afternoon: winds drop to a gentle 15 km/h from the south, still cross, but it’s marginal. The swell drops a touch to 4ft. It's not clean, not perfect, but it’s the best combination of size and lighter winds we’ve seen so far.

Then things get interesting, but also dangerous. On Sunday the 6th of September, a big spike hits: 10ft from the west at 10 seconds. The combined energy absolutely cranks to 1780 (very strong). That is serious, powerful stuff. This is only for experts. The wind is cross-shore in the morning, but the afternoon swings cross-offshore from the SSE at 25 km/h, and it gets clean. For a solid, experienced surfer, Darigayos (La Union) might produce some big, raw wedges off the reef that afternoon. For anyone else, it is way too much, and the currents will be fierce.

Monday the 7th still has some leftover size, 5ft, and the afternoon offers clean conditions again, but the energy has dropped back to 360. Fun, not epic.

So, here’s the honest truth. The real standout is Sunday the 6th of September afternoon. It’s a long way off, so treat it as promising but not locked in, but the combination of a very strong 10ft west swell with cross-offshore winds and clean conditions is your best bet. That is big-wave territory only. If you want a more manageable session, Friday the 4th afternoon offers the best middle ground with 4ft and lighter winds.

The rest? It’s a battle. Don’t expect much until we get into the second week. Forecasts can change, but right now, Darigayos is a waiting game.

Stay salty,
Rusty

Read more