El Camotal Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, I'm Rusty.

Well, it’s a tough stretch ahead for El Camotal. We’re looking at a long run of poor conditions that's going to test the patience of even the most dedicated local. The water's sitting at a touch warmer than usual for this time of year, so at least it’s not a chilly wait.

Right now, through Friday afternoon, it’s pretty grim. We’ve got a tiny 2ft SW swell with only moderate energy (166), and that cross-onshore wind is chopping it all up. Saturday and Sunday aren’t much better, with flat-looking 1ft to 2ft swells and still that annoying cross-on wind. Honestly, the entire run from now right through to the end of August is a write-off for a proper paddle. The swell energy is weak, the wind is all wrong, and the surf quality is just plain poor.

There's a long gap of just nothing worth chasing until we hit the end of the first week of September.

Now, the one true standout, and it’s a week away, is the morning of Friday the 28th of August. The swell jumps up to 6ft from the SW, and the combined energy is strong (1674). That’s a solid pulse. It stays around 7ft to 7ft through to Saturday the 29th of August morning, but here's the rub: the wind is still cross-onshore. It’s light, right around 6 mph, which will keep it from being totally destroyed, but it’s not the clean glass we’d dream of. Because the swell is over 5ft, this is getting too big for beginners, and by the 7ft mark, it's really for experienced surfers only. The period sits around 14 to 16 seconds, so it's a decent groundswell, but with that cross-onshore wind, the shape won't be perfect.

For a break that's consistent and exposed, this is the only window with any real size. The crowd factor is "sometimes," so you might have some company, but it won't be a circus. Given the persistent cross-onshore wind and the fact the swell is pushing in from the SW, and the optimum is from the NW, the setup isn't doing this spot any favours. Honestly, with this much cross-onshore wind and these conditions, the setup at El Camotal looks more interesting for kite surfing than traditional paddle surfing.

After that pulse, it fades back down to 2ft or 3ft with a longer period, but the wind stays cross-onshore, so by the first week of September we’re back to marginal at best.

Stay keen, but stay realistic.

- Rusty

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