El Canal Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s happening at El Canal. Look, I’ll be straight with you – this stretch of the forecast is a tough one. We’ve got a 16-day window but for a good long while, there’s nothing worth paddling out for. The first surf that’s even worth a mention doesn’t show until Thursday the 24th of September. That’s a solid gap of over a week with nothing but poor conditions and cross-shore winds messing up any chance of a wave.

The problem early on is a persistent easterly wind that’s blowing cross-shore, mixing up the surface and keeping things choppy. The swell is there, but it’s short-period windswell, mostly around 3 to 5 feet, and the energy is low to moderate at best – you’re looking at combined energy values mostly under 300, which just isn’t enough to overcome the chop. It’s the kind of stuff that might look interesting for a kite surfer, but for a paddle surfer, it’s a write-off.

Water temp is sitting at 85°F with a positive anomaly of 1°F, so it’s about average for this time of year – no surprises there.

Now, let’s jump to the one bright spot. On Thursday the 24th of September, in the morning, things finally line up. The wind drops to nothing – glassy conditions, dead calm. That’s a massive positive. The swell direction swings around to the north, which is the optimum direction for El Canal, a reef break that’s exposed to northerly swell. The swell is small, about 3 feet, with a period of 9 seconds, giving it a bit of shape and energy. The combined energy hits 137 – moderate, but enough to work with. This is a clean, glassy session on a reef. It’s an advanced break, and it’s fairly consistent, but the crowds can be a problem sometimes. Still, for the whole outlook, this is the standout. Don’t expect much else.

After that, Friday the 25th of September morning offers a brief window with a light offshore from the ESE and 2 feet of north swell, period 9 seconds, energy at 82 – clean but weak. It’s an ordinary, small wave option. Then it’s back to the same cross-shore story through the end of the forecast.

So, in short: there’s a long, dry spell until Thursday the 24th of September morning, when you get a glassy, clean north swell at El Canal. That’s your best shot. The rest is for the kite crew.

Rusty.

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