Drakes Estero Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer at Drakes Estero for the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, don’t get your hopes up for the first few days. We’re looking at a real slow start. Friday the 7th and Saturday the 8th are pretty much a write-off with tiny, weak swell. The best you’ll find is a little 2 ft to 2 ft SSW groundswell with a very long 18 to 17 second period, but the energy is low (313 to 392). It’s not worth the paddle.

Sunday the 9th throws a bit of a curveball. The swell jumps up to 8 ft from the NW, but it’s a short-period windswell (9 seconds) with a lot of energy (1550). The winds are cross-off, which is a positive, but the size is more than 5 ft, so it’s getting a bit much for beginners. By the afternoon it’s still 7 ft but dropping. It’s a fun, punchy option for the experienced crew, but it’s not the cleanest shape.

The real standout in this outlook is the morning of Saturday the 15th. The swell is a clean 3 ft from the SW with a solid 17-second period – that’s proper groundswell. The wind is a light cross-off from the WNW, and the combined energy is a solid 592. The water temp is about average for this time of year. This is a session that’s going to be well-shaped, clean, and with enough energy to make it fun. It’s not massive, but it’s quality. Expect some company though, as crowds are possible here.

Another good call is the morning of Sunday the 16th. It’s very similar: 3 ft SW swell, 16-second period, cross-off winds, and good energy (584). It’s a bit of a repeat of the day before, but just as worthwhile.

There’s a gap after that, with the week of the 18th and 19th dropping back to tiny, weak swell. Then on the 20th, we get a bigger NW windswell (5 ft to 6 ft) but with a short period of just 6-7 seconds and fresh winds. It’s got energy (515 to 790), but it’s going to be a choppy, short-period mess – more one for the kites than the paddles.

The tail end of the outlook on the 21st and 22nd looks promising again. The morning of Friday the 21st has a clean 2 ft SSW swell with a 17-second period, light cross-off winds, and good energy (496). The morning of Saturday the 22nd is similar with a 3 ft SSW swell and 15-second period. These are both clean, lined-up options for a longboard or a funboard.

To wrap it up, the first week is a wash. The best bet is unquestionably the morning of Saturday the 15th, with the morning of Sunday the 16th as a close second. The second week has a brief spike of messy windswell, but ends on a clean, mellow note.

Rusty.

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