El Brusco Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, I’m Rusty. Let’s break it down. The first stretch of this 16-day run is a real drought. From Wednesday the 12th right through to Wednesday the 19th, there’s nothing worth a paddle – just eight straight days of poor surf conditions. You’re better off doing anything else until we see a shift.

That shift comes on Thursday the 20th of August. El Brusco will have a morning wave about 4ft from the NW with an 11-second period – that’s some groundswell moving in, adding a bit of shape. The combined energy hits 356 (moderate), but it’s still only a marginal call. That morning it’s a light cross-shore wind from the WNW at 9 mph, so it’ll be a little choppy. Still, it’s the first real chance. The water temp is 73°, running a touch warmer than normal for this time of year.

Now, the absolute standout of the whole outlook is Friday the 21st of August, and you want to be out there in the morning. El Brusco will see the best swell of the period: 6ft from the NNW with a 10-second period. The combined energy jumps to 495 (strong), so there’s some grunt. The wind is a clean cross-offshore breeze from the WSW at 9 mph, giving you lined-up, clean waves. That’s pure surf. The swell direction (NNW) pairs perfectly with the break’s optimum NW. At 6ft, this is for the experienced surfers – not a beginner wave – but if you’ve got the skills, this is your session. It’s fairly consistent, and while crowds are “often”, you might snag some decent space early.

After that, the weekend goes messy. Saturday the 22nd has a moderate cross-shore wind, Sunday the 23rd is glassy in the morning but only 1ft waves, and Monday the 24th is poor again.

Looking into the final week, the next real chance hits Thursday the 27th of August. El Brusco will have a morning pulse at 6ft from the NW with an 8-second period, combined energy at 393 (moderate). That’s decent size, but the short period means it’ll be a little lumpy if the wind picks up. The morning has light cross-shore west wind at 12 mph, keeping it rideable. By the afternoon, it jumps to 7ft from the NW with 9 seconds and energy at 781 (strong to very strong) – that’s a lot of water moving, but with a moderate cross-shore breeze at 12 mph, it’s strictly for experts. The morning of the 27th is your best bet in that final week, but it’s a long-range call so don’t bet the house on it.

To sum it up: the absolute winner is Friday morning, the 21st of August, at El Brusco – clean, solid, and the right direction. The 27th is the other one to watch, but only for the crew who can handle bigger, wind-affected surf. The rest of the fortnight is mostly dead, so pick your moment and make it count.

Rusty.

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