El Anclote Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what’s coming up for El Anclote. We’ve got a bit of a flat spell on the cards, so don’t be in a rush to wax up. The first surf we can realistically talk about doesn’t appear until Tuesday the 15th, and honestly, it’s not setting the world on fire.

Right out of the gate on Tuesday morning, we’re looking at a small 2 ft swell from the SW. The period is a long 16 seconds, so there’s some deepwater energy, but the wave comment says it all: poor surf conditions. The cross-onshore breeze is messing things up. Water temp is a very unusual 89° – that’s much warmer than normal for this time of year. The combined energy is low, at 146. Not a morning to rush for. Tuesday afternoon cleans up nicely though, turning glassy with the same small 2 ft SSW swell (189 energy). We’re talking small, but perfectly clean. For a beginner-friendly reef like this, that’s about as good as it gets right now.

Wednesday morning the 16th brings clearer skies but a cross-shore wind kills the vibe on that 2 ft swell (182 energy). The afternoon, however, turns offshore from the NW with clean conditions again on the 2 ft SW swell (152 energy). This is the pattern for the next several days: mornings generally blown out, afternoons turning clean as the seabreeze swings offshore. Thursday the 17th and Friday the 18th follow the same script – small 1-2 ft swells, long periods of 14-19 seconds, and those cleaner afternoons. The energy stays moderate, around the 170-180 mark. It’s surfable but very ordinary.

We hit a bit of a rough patch from Saturday the 19th through to Tuesday the 23rd. There’s a risk of thunderstorms most mornings, and the wind is all over the place. The swell stays small, never cracking 2 ft, and the quality drops. The afternoon sessions still offer some clean windows, but honestly, the juice isn’t worth the squeeze. The combined energy does peak a little on Monday the 21st at 252 in the morning, but that’s wasted on poor conditions.

The best on offer in this whole run? It’s a toss-up between a couple of the very small, glassy windows. I’d say the standout is Tuesday afternoon, September 15th, and the afternoon of Wednesday the 23rd. On the 15th, you’ve got that glassy 2 ft SSW groundswell (189 energy) with the optimum SW direction. For a beginner reef, that’s as clean and user-friendly as it gets, even if the waves are tiny. On the 23rd, we get a 2 ft SW swell (157 energy) with offshore winds in the afternoon. Given the conditions, that’s about as good as it’s going to look. Crowds are possible here, it’s a “sometimes” spot, but with waves this small, it won’t be crowded.

From the 24th onwards, the energy really drops off. Thursday the 24th sees onshore winds and a measly 2 ft swell (119-143 energy). Friday the 25th morning goes glassy again on a 2 ft, 14-second swell (99 energy), and the afternoon cleans up, but it’s barely a ripple. The last few days of the month are a write-off with very weak energy and poor conditions. The 27th has a bigger 16 mph offshore wind, but the swell is still only 2 ft at 13 seconds (183 energy). It’s clean, but not punchy enough to get excited about for paddle surfing. With that kind of wind and small swell on a reef, it’s more interesting for the kite crew.

So there you have it. A long run of small, clean afternoon windows, but nothing that’s going to get your heart racing. If you’re a beginner and just want to cruise on some glassy tiny waves, the afternoons of the 15th and 23rd are your best bets. For the rest of us, it’s a waiting game.

Rusty.

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