El Brusco Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let’s look at what’s coming up for El Brusco. Right now, we’re in a bit of a flat spell with nothing worth paddling out for. The water here is about 72° and feels a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, which is a nice little bonus if you’re just floating around.

The first real chance of a wave comes on Saturday morning, September 5th. We’ve got a 4ft NW swell rolling in, but here’s the kicker – that swell has a period of 14 seconds. That’s proper groundswell, long lines with plenty of energy behind it, and the combined energy is sitting at a solid 645. That’s moderate wave energy. But the wind is coming from the east at 6 mph, straight cross-shore, leaving a bit of a cross-chop on the surface. It’s not clean, but it’s surfable if you’re keen. Later that afternoon, the wind picks up to 16 mph from the ENE, and the swell bumps up to 5ft, but with a period of 13 seconds and a cross-chop, it’s messy. The energy is high at 849, but it’s not going to be pretty.

Now, if you want the standout of the whole forecast, you’re looking at Tuesday morning, September 8th. The swell drops a touch to 4ft from the NW, period 11 seconds, and the wind goes glassy – just a light 3 mph from the WNW. The combined energy is 271, and the wave comment says “expect good surf conditions.” That’s the one. It’s a fairly consistent break, but it’s advanced difficulty, so it’s not a beginner’s wave. The NW swell is right in the optimum direction for this spot, and with glassy conditions, it’ll be clean. Just keep in mind, crowds can be an issue here – it’s often busy.

For the rest of the first week, it’s a mixed bag. Sunday morning, September 6th, has a 5ft NW swell at 12 seconds, but cross-shore wind at 9 mph, and the energy is 502. It’s marginal. Monday morning, the 7th, is glassy with a tiny 2ft, 15-second period groundswell, but it’s weak – energy only 205. It’s surfable but ordinary.

The second week gets a bit patchy. The standouts are few. Wednesday morning, September 16th, has a 5ft NW swell, period 10 seconds, with light cross-shore wind from the east at 6 mph. Energy is 477, but it’s only marginal. Then on Thursday morning, September 17th, and Friday morning, September 18th, we get glassy conditions again, but the swell is small – 3ft and 3ft, with low energy around 160 and 144. The waves are surfable but very ordinary.

Overall, if you’re chasing the best, Tuesday morning September 8th is your window. Glassy, decent swell, and the right direction. After that, the pickings are slim. Don’t expect much more than small, clean waves in the second week.

Rusty.

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