El Barco Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get into it. This is Rusty with a look at what’s coming up for El Barco.

Honestly, mate, things are looking pretty grim for the next couple of weeks. We’ve got a real flat spell on the horizon with the odd blip of something rideable, but nothing that’s going to get the heart racing. There’s a massive gap of days with no surf worth talking about. The first real chance of anything resembling a wave doesn’t show up until Monday the 13th of July, and even then it’s just a tiny, ordinary little thing.

Sunday the 12th of July is a complete write-off. Onshore winds and weak, messy swell. Don’t even bother looking at the water.

We don’t get our first look-in until Monday morning, July 13th. The wind goes offshore from the north at just 3 mph, which is nice, and the water cleans right up. We’re looking at a tiny 3ft swell from the southeast, but the period is a short 7 seconds. It’s surfable, but the energy is weak (162). It’s more of a longboard cruise than anything else. The water temp is 52°, which is just about average for this time of year.

The next half-decent window is Tuesday afternoon, July 14th. The swell drops a bit to 3ft from the east-southeast, but the period stretches out to a more promising 10 seconds. The offshore wind is a bit stronger from the north at 12 mph, keeping the surface clean. The energy is still moderate at 133. It’s a slight improvement, but nothing special.

For Wednesday the 15th through to Saturday the 26th, it’s a whole lot of nothing. The waves that do show up are smaller than 3ft, and the wind is often crummy. There’s a consistent pattern of poor conditions. It’s a real dry spell. The best you could hope for is a tiny 5ft swell on Tuesday morning, July 21st, but the period is only 6 seconds, making it weak and messy. Even with a bit of clearance in the wind, the wave quality is poor.

The end of the run-up offers a tiny glimmer. Monday morning, July 27th, we get a 4ft swell from the south-southeast with a 6-second period. The wind turns solid offshore from the north at 12 mph, cleaning it up nicely. The afternoon of the 27th of July goes glassy with an easterly breeze and a 4ft swell. The energy is still weak (188), so it’s small and clean, but again, nothing to get excited about. The crowd factor is “often” at El Barco, so expect company even on the small days.

Honestly, if you’re desperate for a paddle, Monday the 13th or the 27th of July mornings are your best bets for a clean, gentle session. But if you’re looking for a proper swell, you’re out of luck. The whole 16-day window is a bust. It tends not to stay this poor for long around here, so keep checking back, but for now, don’t hold your breath.

Rusty.

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