El Canal (Rio de Bayamon) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's be straight with you. The next couple of weeks are looking pretty grim for a proper surf. The models are showing next to nothing for a solid stretch, so if you're jonesing for a wave, you might need to find something else to do for a while. We're looking at a long, flat spell before we even get a sniff of something rideable.

First up, the only spot on the map is El Canal (Rio de Bayamon) (Puerto Rico). It’s a river mouth, so it’s sheltered and a bit fickle. The water is sitting at 84°, which is about average for this time of year, so no crazy warm or cold surprises there. It’s a bummer, but the opening days are just poor. Monday the 10th has a tiny 1ft NE windswell with a cross-shore breeze, and it’s just a mess. Tuesday and Wednesday aren't any better, with waves under 3ft and weak energy (91 and 15 on the energy scale). It's flat out depressing. The wind is mostly cross-off, so the surface is clean, but there’s just nothing to ride.

We get a pulse of energy for Thursday the 13th, with a 4ft E swell and moderate energy (137), but the period is a short 6 seconds, making it a crumbly windswell and the spot stays poor. Friday the 14th sees the swell actually pick up to 6ft, with energy jumping to 419, but the period is still short and the winds are fresh. It looks like a bumpy, blown-out mess, and the guidance still calls it poor. That’s too much juice for a river mouth with that kind of short period anyway. Saturday and Sunday are more of the same – chest to head high but junky, with a lumpy cross-chop. Not worth your time.

The one faint glimmer in this whole outlook shows up on Monday, August 17th. We finally get a real swell, with a 5ft ENE groundswell and a much longer 11-second period. The energy reads 656, which is strong, and the wind goes light cross-off. This is the best the window has to offer. It’s still not perfect – the guidance just calls it marginal – but it's the only time you might find a clean, workable wave. The long period should help with shape, and the lighter wind will keep it glassy. But don’t get too amped; it's a far cry from epic.

After that tease on the 17th, it looks like the swell backs off again. The following days drop back down to 3ft or less with weak energy. There’s another small bump around the 24th and 25th with 4-4ft ENE swells, but the periods stay short and the energy is only moderate. It’s just a lot of nothing, really. A long period of flat to small, junky surf, with that one Monday the 17th being the only real standout, and even that is a gamble.

Bottom line: this is a bleak stretch. A blank run of this length is normal for this area, so don't lose all hope. I'd keep an eye on that Monday the 17th, but otherwise, it might be time to tune up the kite gear. The setup looks way more interesting for that than for surfing.

Rusty

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