El Arenal Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cooking for El Arenal over the next couple of weeks.

Honestly, I’ve gotta level with you – this is a tough stretch. The whole 16-day window is a bit of a write-off for us. There’s no stand-out window, no clean swell, and the wind is pretty much always working against us. The first surf recommendation doesn't even appear because the conditions are just too poor to paddle out. From the 10th of July right through to the 25th, we are looking at a solid two-week gap with no green lights.

The swell does try to build, especially around the 12th of July with a 4 ft swell from the NNW, period around 10 seconds and moderate wave energy (311). The problem is it’s a thoroughbred onshore wind from the north, making it a messy, choppy mess. Even when the swell gets bigger towards the 17th and 18th of July, with 6 ft to 7 ft from the NE and wave energy climbing into the moderate to strong range (406 to 506), the cross-onshore and onshore winds ruin the surface. It’s a perfect recipe for a washing machine, not a surf session.

The biggest swell of the whole run hits around the 24th and 25th of July. We’re talking 7 ft to 8 ft from the NE with very strong wave energy (1679 and 1070). That’s solid, powerful stuff. But again, the wind is blowing cross-onshore from the north at 25 km/h, so it’s going to be a beast of a close-out. For the experienced crew, maybe there’s a wave in there, but it’s not what I’d call a day for the beach. With that kind of wind and swell, honestly, this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Because there are no good options, I can’t even highlight a break for you. The consistent pattern we’re seeing is wind and chop, and that’s just the way it is for the area sometimes. Don’t bin the board just yet, though – it tends not to stay poor for long, and forecasts can change.

Stay salty,
Rusty

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