El Camotal Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get into it. This is Rusty, bringing you the surf outlook for El Camotal.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you: the next couple of weeks are looking pretty grim. We’ve got a long stretch of poor to marginal conditions ahead, with not much to get excited about. The water is sitting at 71°, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year—that’s a big anomaly of 7°, so don’t expect that chilly autumn bite just yet.

Starting from Monday, September 14, through to the end of the month, the story is mostly small, weak swell with persistent cross-onshore winds. The wave energy is moderate at best, with combined energy values bouncing around in the 300s and 400s, but it’s just not translating into anything rideable. The swell is coming from the southwest, which isn’t the optimum direction for El Camotal—it prefers a northwest swell. The period is long, often over 15 seconds, which would normally be great for a point break or reef, but with the wind messing things up, it’s not doing us any favors.

There’s a brief flicker of hope on Monday, September 21, with a light onshore wind and a bit of a cleaner look, but the swell is tiny at 2ft and the energy is only 211. That’s a marginal call at best. The same goes for Tuesday, September 22, with a little more offshore influence, but again, the swell is just too small.

The only time things get interesting is around Friday, September 25. The swell bumps up to 5ft from the southwest, with energy hitting 757—that’s moderate to strong. The period drops to 13 seconds, which is more manageable, but the wind is still cross-onshore at 9 mph. It’s going to be choppy and messy, and with that size, it’s getting into intermediate territory—maybe a bit much for beginners. Still, it’s the best we’ve seen in weeks, and it’s worth a look if you’re desperate. But don’t expect perfection.

After that, it fades back into the usual pattern of small, weak, and wind-affected surf through the end of the month. Honestly, if you’re a kite surfer, the consistent cross-onshore wind and small waves might be more your thing than paddle surfing right now.

So, the standout? It’s got to be Friday, September 25, but keep your expectations in check. It’s the best of a bad bunch, but it’s still not great.

Rusty.

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