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

Alright, let’s get real about the next couple of weeks. Honestly, if you’re jonesing for a wave, you might want to pick up a new hobby for a bit. This stretch is looking pretty bleak for most of the window. The spot in question, El Canal (Rio de Bayamon), is a river mouth that rarely breaks, and this forecast does nothing to change that reputation.

The water temp is sitting at 84°, which is pretty much normal for this time of year, so at least you won’t need a thick suit. But that’s about the only positive.

We start things off on Friday the 14th and Saturday the 15th with some chest-high swell from the ENE, around 5ft to 6ft. The problem is, it’s short-period windswell, only 7 seconds, and it’s being slopped up by a fresh cross-shore breeze. The energy is moderate, with readings of (239) and (395), but the quality is just poor. It’s lumpy, messy, and not worth the hassle. This continues through Sunday the 16th with similar conditions.

Then, from Monday the 17th through until Friday the 21st, we see a drop-off and a whole lot of nothing. Swell heights tumble to under 3ft, with energy readings often below (100). It's a real flat spell. The wind is mostly cross-offshore, which would be nice if there were any waves to surf.

We get a tiny blip on Friday the 21st with 4ft to 5ft of that same short-period ENE swell, and the energy bumps up to (232) and (291). The morning is clean with a cross-off breeze, but it’s still a pretty average, weak windswell. The following week is more of the same – flat and uninspiring, with energy readings mostly in the double digits or low hundreds.

Now, here’s the one thing that might get your attention. The forecast is pointing to Wednesday the 26th as the best on offer, though that’s not saying much. It’s a long way out, so treat this as promising but not certain. We’re looking at 4ft of ENE swell, but the period has stretched out to 10 seconds, giving it a bit more push. The energy is a moderate (381). The wind looks like it could finally play nice, with a gentle breeze that goes offshore in the afternoon. It won’t be epic, but after this long drought, it might be the only time the river mouth shows any sort of shape. It’s still a river break, so even then, don't expect perfection.

Bottom line: this is a 16-day stretch that looks more like a desert. There’s a severe lack of anything good. The only faint glimmer of hope is that Wednesday the 26th. Otherwise, you’re better off finding something else to do.

Rusty

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