El Brusco Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get into it. The next couple of weeks are a bit of a mixed bag. We’ve got a solid window of surf coming, but it’s going to be a bit of a wait before things really get good, and there are a few flat days to get through first.

The first real surf worth paddling out for is on Wednesday morning, September 9th, at El Brusco. It’s a bit of a rough start though – the swell is 5ft from the NW with a period of 9 seconds, and the wind is cross-on from the NW at 6 mph. The combined swell energy is moderate at 414, but the conditions are marginal with that wind putting a bit of a bump on the face. Not ideal, but it’s the first wave of the period.

Things clean up nicely on Sunday morning, September 13th. This is the standout period. The swell is 5ft from the NW, but the period jumps to 13 seconds, so it’s proper groundswell with real energy (679 in the combined swell energy). The wind is light and cross-offshore from the ESE at 6 mph, leaving the waves clean and well-shaped. At 5ft, it’s a good size for a range of surfers, but beginners might find it a bit challenging. The water temperature is about average for the time of year. This is the best session on offer, hands down. The only thing to watch for is that longer period (over 11 seconds) means the sets will be more powerful and spaced out, which is a dream at a point or reef, but El Brusco is a fairly exposed spot, so be ready for the lulls.

After that, the surf drops off. The next week is mostly small, poor quality, or onshore junk. There’s a window of glassy conditions on Saturday morning, September 19th, with a 3ft swell from the NW (8 second period), but the energy is weak (139) and the conditions are just surfable, nothing special.

Then, on Sunday morning, September 20th, the wind goes glassy and calm, with a 4ft swell from the NNW (10 seconds) and combined energy of 308. The forecast says “expect good surf conditions” – this is the second standout. The glassy conditions will make for a clean, fun morning. The swell is a bit smaller than the 13th, but the lack of wind makes it a very appealing option.

The final week is pretty quiet. The surf gets small and messy, with only a couple of brief windows. On Wednesday morning, September 23rd, there’s a tiny 1ft swell from the NW, but the period is a massive 19 seconds – that’s very long period groundswell. The combined energy is 238, but at that size, it’s barely breaking. It’s more of a novelty than a session. The following morning, September 24th, has a 3ft NW swell at 13 seconds with light cross-shore wind, but it’s just marginal.

Overall, the best bet is Sunday morning, September 13th, with the clean, cross-offshore conditions and the 5ft NW groundswell. The second best is Sunday morning, September 20th, with the glassy conditions and a fun 4ft swell. Don’t hold your breath for the first week; it’s mostly a waiting game.

Rusty.

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