El Camotal Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s have a proper look at what’s coming down the line.

Right off the bat, the water’s sitting at a notable 69°F – that’s much warmer than usual for this time of year, a real treat if you’re paddling out at El Camotal.

We’ve got a persistent run of moderate, long-period SW groundswell coming through, but the wind is the fly in the ointment. It’s cross-onshore the whole way, which keeps things choppy and messy. The combined swell energy builds from a moderate 575 (on Monday the 31st) up to a strong 1532 by Friday the 4th of September, so there’s plenty of push in the water, just not the clean conditions to go with it. From Monday 31 August right through to Sunday 7 September, it’s a string of poor to marginal surf. The swell hangs around 3ft to 6ft, and the periods are long – 12 to 19 seconds – meaning good energy but those long gaps between sets. With the cross-onshore breeze, the surface stays bumpy.

The standout window in this run is Thursday 3 September. The morning sees 4ft of SW swell at 18 seconds, and the combined energy leaps to 1033 – that’s proper punch. The afternoon pushes to 5ft at 17 seconds, hitting 1362 energy. But, and it’s a big but, it’s still cross-onshore at 9 mph. So while the size and period are there for a good wave, the chop will make it a battle. If you’re an experienced local who can handle a bit of texture, this is your best shot.

Friday 4 September also offers 6ft SW swell, but it’s the same story – cross-onshore and messy. That’s a lot of water moving, and with the period around 15-16 seconds, it’s a groundswell that’ll be better suited to a point or reef setup, not so much a beach. For a beginner, anything over 5ft starts getting hefty, so this is for confident surfers only.

Moving into the second week, from Monday 8 September onwards, the swell drops back into the 3ft to 4ft range, and the energy falls off to moderate (around 258-875). The wind stays cross-onshore, so it’s more of the same – marginal at best. Saturday 13 September sees the smallest surf, down to 2ft, and it’s poor. Thursday 10 and Friday 11 September offer brief marginal windows with light cross-onshore breezes, but nothing that’ll get the heart racing.

Honestly, this is one of those stretches where the ocean’s putting on a show of size and energy, but the wind just won’t play nice. The best on offer is Thursday 3 September for the biggest, most powerful swell, but be prepared to work for a clean face. If you’re after glassy perfection, you’ll need to wait for a change in the wind. Given the consistent swell, it likely won’t stay poor forever, but for now, it’s a grind.

Rusty.

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