El Camotal Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty, and I’m looking at what’s on offer for the next couple of weeks. It’s a bit of a mixed bag, to be honest. There’s only one spot in the mix here, and that’s El Camotal. It’s a consistent, beginner-friendly beach break that’s exposed to the swell, and it prefers the swell coming from the northwest. The water temp is sitting at 68°, which is a solid 4° warmer than usual for this time of year – that’s a real treat for the skin, makes the early morning paddle way more pleasant.

The first solid surf window kicks off on Saturday, the 29th of August. You’ve got a long-period SW groundswell pushing in at 7 ft, with a 14-second period. The combined energy is strong, clocking in at 1593. The wind is a light cross-on from the south at 6 mph, so it’s going to be a little bumpy, but still rideable. This is the biggest push of the whole forecast, and while it’s a bit of a messy cross-on situation, the size and energy make it the standout for a surfer who wants some power. It’s a bit much for the absolute beginners, though.

The swell drops a little on Sunday the 30th, with a 5 ft morning set from the same SW direction, but the wind stays light and cross-on. The energy is still decent at 847. It’s not going to be glassy, but it’s the best of the weekend if you want a bit less size.

The whole first week is plagued by that same cross-on wind. It’s never clean, but there’s always a little swell. The standout change comes on Thursday the 3rd of September. The morning shows a wind shift to a true offshore from the WSW at 6 mph. That’s the cleanest the break will be all week. The swell is a solid 4 ft from the SW with a very long 18-second period, giving it real punch and shape (energy 1047). That’s a session worth waiting for – long lines, clean faces. The period is long enough that at a beach break, it might be a bit tricky to sit in the right spot, but the quality of the wave will be there.

The second week starts to fade. The mornings of Friday the 4th and Saturday the 5th of September still have some size (6 ft and 5 ft respectively) and decent energy, but the wind is back to that frustrating cross-on. It’s surfable, but it’s a chore.

By the time we hit September 11th and 12th, the swell drops off significantly. We’re looking at 4 ft and below, with weak energy readings in the 300-400 range. The wind is still cross-on, so it’s pretty flat and sloppy. There’s a little pulse on the 13th, but it’s only 2 ft with a very long period, which is a bit of a tease.

If you’re after a paddle, the absolute best bet is the Thursday morning, September 3rd, for that clean offshore wind. If you just want the biggest, rawest power, Saturday the 29th of August is the day for size, but don’t expect it to be pretty. The rest of the time, it’s a waiting game.

Rusty.

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