El Camotal Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s see what we’ve got for the next couple of weeks. The first good surf window isn’t until the 19th, so we’ve got a quiet start. The first couple of days are basically a write-off with small, short-period wind slop and poor conditions. From the 19th, things start to show a little life.

El Camotal is the only break on the cards here, and it’s a consistent beginner-friendly spot, exposed to the swell. The best action looks to be in the second week, with a real standout around the 28th and 29th. The water temp is about average for the time of year, nothing unusual there.

Saturday 18th – forget it. Tiny waves, 2 ft to 2 ft, short period, and cross-on wind. Not worth paddling out.

Sunday 19th – a bit of a pulse shows up. The morning has 4 ft swell from the SW, with a period of 11 seconds, giving moderate energy (320). The wind is light cross-on, still a bit messy, but it’s the first sign of something with a bit of shape. The afternoon drops off fast.

Monday 20th – morning swell is 4 ft SW, 11 second period, moderate energy (431). The wind is still cross-on from the SSW at 9 mph, so it’s choppy. The afternoon picks up a bit more energy (625) with 5 ft, but still a bit bumpy. Not great.

Tuesday 21st and Wednesday 22nd – more of the same, with 4 ft to 3 ft. The wind stays cross-on. The energy is moderate to weak. There’s nothing to get excited about.

Thursday 23rd – a weird one. The swell height drops to 2 ft, but the period goes through the roof at 24 seconds. That’s a very long period groundswell, and the energy is moderate (538). That kind of period is best on a point or reef, but remember, this is a beach break, so it might break too straight. Still, if it’s glassy, it could offer some clean lines. The morning has a light breeze.

Friday 24th – similar story. 2 ft to 3 ft, 20 to 21 second period, moderate to strong energy (552). The morning has a slight air and light cross-on. Promising for a clean, long ride if you pick your peak.

Saturday 25th – the morning has a brief moment of offshore wind from the WSW, light. The swell is 3 ft from the SW, 18 second period, with strong energy (465). This could be a nice session. The afternoon goes back to cross-on.

Sunday 26th – the morning is the best so far. Swell 3 ft, 20 second period, and the energy is strong (1132). The wind is light cross-on. With that long period, the waves will have a lot of push, and the sets will be spaced out. This is a serious look for the break.

Monday 27th – swell builds to 3 ft and then 5 ft in the afternoon. Period drops to 17-18 seconds, but energy is very strong (1294). The wind stays light cross-on. The afternoon has 5 ft, which is getting into the size where it’s less suitable for beginners.

Tuesday 28th – This is the standout. The morning has 6 ft SW swell, 16 second period, and the energy is very strong (1903). The wind is light cross-on. The afternoon pushes up to 7 ft, with energy at 2211. That’s a big, powerful swell. For a beginner spot, 7 ft is expert territory, but if you’ve got the skill, this is the biggest and most energetic swell of the window. The wind is still cross-on, but light, so it should be fairly clean.

Wednesday 29th – still solid. 6 ft in the morning, 6 ft in the afternoon, 14 second period, energy strong (1480). The wind is still light. This is another big day.

Thursday 30th – the swell starts to fade. 4 ft in the morning, 4 ft in the afternoon. Period drops to 12-13 seconds. Energy is moderate (520). The wind is light.

Friday 31st and into the start of August – the swell is fading out, 3 ft to 4 ft, with moderate energy. Not much to write home about.

Best bet: Tuesday 28th and Wednesday 29th will be the biggest, most powerful swell of the whole 16 days. If you’re an expert, that’s the time to go. For the average surfer, Sunday 26th and Monday 27th offer a better balance of size and cleanliness. The wind never really gets clean offshore for long, but the light cross-on is manageable. The crowd situation at El Camotal can be busy sometimes, so get in early.

Rusty.

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