El Canal Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, looking at El Canal for the next fortnight, and I gotta tell ya, it’s a rough run. This is a reef break, exposed north, but the wind is locked in from the east almost every day, throwing a cross-shore chop all over it. Water temp is about 28°F, which is normal for the season, so no need for a wetsuit.

Your first real look-in is the morning of Thursday, July 9th. There’s a 1.7m east swell, 8-second period, and the wind swings to a cross-offshore from the ESE at 25 km/h. That’s the cleanest the surface will get (moderate breeze, clean). The combined energy is 355 (moderate). It’s the only window that doesn’t look like a mess. Even so, the wave quality is poor in the data, so don’t expect magic. The rest of that week and into the next is just the same story: 1.5m to 1.9m east swell, side-shore wind, and "poor surf conditions." Not great.

Then comes a dead spell. From the afternoon of Sunday, July 12th through to the morning of Wednesday, July 15th, the swell tanks. On the 14th, you’re looking at a 0.1m north swell with a 13-second period, and the combined energy is just 3 (weak). That’s flat. That gap lasts a few days with nothing to recommend.

Things try to come back on Wednesday the 15th with 1.5m to 1.6m east swell, but it’s still got that onshore chop. Not worth the effort.

The real standout, if you can call it that, is the morning of Thursday, July 16th. The swell hits 1.7m from the east with a 7-second period, and the combined energy jumps to 464 (moderate). That’s the biggest energy spike of the whole run. But the wind is still cross-shore at 25 km/h, so it’s lumpy and bumpy. The swell direction is east, and El Canal really wants north, so the waves will be weak and a bit out of shape. This is for strong paddlers who don’t mind a chop session.

For beginners, steer clear. When the swell is over 1.5m (which it is most days here) and the wind is side-shore, it’s not a friendly wave. Above 1.8m it’s expert-only with all that chop. Honestly, this whole stretch looks more fun for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer.

Bottom line: you’ve got one clean-ish morning on Thursday July 9th, and one lumpy but powerful morning on Thursday July 16th. Everything else is a cross-shore slog. Tough weeks, mate.

Rusty.

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