El Brusco Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ve gotta be straight with you – this stretch through the end of July and into the start of August is a real tough one for El Brusco. We’re looking at a pretty grim run of surf, where the conditions just don’t line up to give us anything decent. The first solid sign of *anything* worth paddling out for isn’t until the very end of the month, and even then, it’s a gamble.

The whole pattern is dominated by small, weak swell and persistent cross-onshore winds that are just going to mess up any chance of a clean wave. The combined energy readings are mostly in the weak to moderate range, with the highest values not arriving until the end of the outlook, and even then, the wind is a problem. The water temp is about average for the time of year, nothing unusual there.

Saturday, July 18th through to Friday, July 24th is a total write-off. The swell is tiny, mostly under 3 ft, and the wind is a constant cross-onshore from the NE. The best you’ll get is a few tiny wind ripples, but that’s not surf. The combined energy stays below 100 (weak) most of this time, peaking at a measly 244 on Monday afternoon – but that’s still with a 5 ft cross-onshore mess. Just don’t bother.

Saturday, July 25th and Sunday, July 26th see a bit of a bump in size, but the wind turns strong from the west. You’ve got a moderate cross-shore, which is better than onshore, but the swell is still short-period and the energy is moderate (168 to 248). It’s a choppy, uneven mess – more of a kite-surfing setup than a paddle-out.

Now, Monday, July 27th and Tuesday, July 28th – things start to get interesting in terms of size and energy, but the wind is still a problem. The combined energy jumps to 390 on Monday afternoon (moderate) with a 5 ft NW swell, and Tuesday peaks at 395 with a 5 ft NNW swell. But the wind is a gentle cross-onshore, making it choppy and ordinary. You’d be fighting the wind all session.

The one true standout – and I mean the only bright spot in this whole 16-day window – is Wednesday, July 29th. The morning offers a 6 ft NW swell with a period of 11 seconds, which is a proper groundswell. The combined energy is a solid 686 (strong). More importantly, the wind is a light cross-shore from the ENE, which will keep the surface clean. This is a decent wave for an advanced surfer – it’s over 5 ft, so it’s a bit much for the average punter, but with that cross-shore breeze, it’ll be holding good shape. The northwest swell is a good direction for El Brusco, too. The afternoon is a write-off again with the wind swinging onshore, but that morning session is your best bet. Crowds are likely here, so get in early.

Thursday, July 30th morning you’ll find glassy conditions with a 4 ft NW swell, but the energy is only moderate (211) and the waves are described as “very ordinary.” It’s a surfable wave, but nothing special.

From Friday, July 31st onwards, it all fades back to small, weak, and messy. The swell drops below 3 ft, the energy is weak, and the wind is a mix of cross and cross-onshore. A couple of glassy mornings on the 2nd of August, but the swell is only 2 ft – not enough to get excited about.

So, to wrap it up: the only window worth a look is Wednesday morning, July 29th. That’s your standout. Get on it, because the rest of the forecast is a flat, choppy snooze-fest.

Rusty.

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