El Balneario Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is gonna be a tough one to get excited about. The water is running a bit cooler than normal for this time of year, sitting at 71°F – about 3 degrees chillier than we’d expect (a bit colder than normal). Let’s get into it.

We’re looking at El Balneario, and honestly, the first week and a half is pretty bleak. You’ve got a solid run of small, weak, short-period swell from the west and west-northwest, barely pushing 1ft to 3ft, and the period is hanging around 6 to 8 seconds. The combined energy is weak, with values like 34 and 57 (weak energy). Even when the wind cooperates and goes offshore from the east-northeast or east, starting Saturday morning the 29th of August, the swell is just too small to do anything with. Saturday morning the 29th is the first real chance for a clean-looking surface, but it’s only 2ft – surfable but very ordinary. The offshore breeze is light and clean, but the waves are just limp.

This pattern of small, clean but weak surf continues right through the first week of September. A few mornings like Tuesday the 1st and Wednesday the 2nd of September show signs of life with clean conditions and a little more energy (54 – weak energy), but it’s still only 2ft swell. It’s frustrating because the wind is perfect, but the ocean just hasn’t got any push.

Then we hit a massive gap from the 3rd of September right through to the 8th of September. The swell literally drops to zero or near zero (0ft to 0.3ft), and the wind cranks up from the east at 25 mph, making it strong offshore and clean but impossible to paddle into. There’s literally nothing to ride.

The first real flicker of hope comes on Wednesday the 9th of September. The early morning shows a 3ft swell from the west with a period of 7 seconds, and the combined energy picks up to 103 (moderate wave energy). The wind is light from the east, so it’s clean. It’s not a standout by any means – the period is still short and the swell is small – but it’s the most surfable wave we’ve seen in over a week. The afternoon holds 3ft with an offshore breeze, but it’s nothing special.

The best on offer – and I’m stretching here – is the morning of Wednesday the 9th of September. It’s the only day the swell cracks 3ft and the energy hits triple digits. The wind is light offshore, so it’ll be clean. For a beginner-friendly spot like El Balneario, that’s about as good as it gets in this outlook. But honestly, don’t expect barrels. It’s a small-wave day with a bit of shape.

Crowds are possible at El Balneario – it’s a spot that can get busy sometimes, especially with the offshore winds cleaning things up.

Summary: A long stretch of tiny, underpowered swell with a few clean windows but no real punch. The best day is Wednesday the 9th of September, with 3ft west swell, light offshore wind, and moderate energy. Everything else is either flat or too weak to bother with.

Rusty

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