El Barco Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then, let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for El Barco. To be honest, it’s a bit of a tough stretch ahead. There’s a real patchy run of surf coming up, and for the most part, the conditions are going to fight you. The first few days are a write-off, with messy, onshore winds and poor-quality waves that just aren't worth paddling out for.

Looking at the start of the run, we’ve got a big pulse of swell arriving on Sunday the 23rd of August. Now, the swell height is pushing 7ft to 7ft, coming from the south with a long, powerful period of 13 to 15 seconds. That’s a serious amount of energy on the table – we're talking strong to very strong combined energy levels in the range of 1439 to 2177. That’s the kind of power that gets your heart racing. But here’s the kicker: the wind is howling onshore from the SSW or straight onshore, so it’s going to be a messy, blown-out mess. For most of us, that’s a hard pass. If you’re an expert and you’re desperate, you might find something, but it’s not going to be pretty. For beginners, that’s way too big.

The real window to keep an eye on is around Tuesday the 25th of August. We’ve got a drop in swell to a much more manageable 4ft, still from the SSE direction with a decent 11-second period. The wind finally plays ball, going light cross-offshore from the NE to E. The wave comment says "expect good surf conditions" and the water’s clean. The combined energy is moderate at 347 to 474. This is the standout. It’s not a world-beater, but it’s the cleanest and most surfable wave in the whole period. The break is fairly consistent here, but crowds are often a thing, so expect company. For this one, the swell direction from the SSE is matching the guidance optimum from the south, so it’s on the money.

After that, it all fades away again. The swell drops right off through the end of August and into the first week of September, with heights barely hitting 3ft and the wind swinging around all over the place. There’s a long dry spell from the 28th of August right through to the 4th of September where there’s nothing really worth chasing. Then, on the 5th of September, we get a little bump of 6ft from the SSE, but it's short period at 6 seconds, combined energy is moderate at 345, and the wind is cross-onshore. It’s marginal, and the poor conditions will likely ruin it.

Overall, the best bet is Tuesday the 25th of August. Get out there early morning. The rest of the run is a bit of a gamble, but with a fairly consistent break like this, forecasts can always change for the better.

Rusty

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