Chicama - El Cape / Keys Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the cards for Chicama's El Cape / Keys stretch.

The whole 16-day window is a bit of a tough one, to be honest. Right from the start, we're looking at a solid, long-period SW groundswell pushing through, but it's getting hammered by a strong onshore wind. That combo is just a mess – the conditions are poor, and the wave quality is shot. It's a shame because the swell energy is massive, hitting over 1260 (combined energy) at first, but it's all for nothing with that wind. That onshore wind sticks around day after day, so we're looking at a long stretch of poor surf. It's not until the morning of Friday the 21st that we see a tiny glimmer of hope, with the wind easing to a light cross-on breeze, but the swell is small, around 4ft, and the period is short at 9 seconds. The energy is weak (382), and the surf is just marginal. After that, the swell drops right off, with tiny waves and still onshore winds for the rest of the period.

Honestly, there's no standout session here. The best option in the whole forecast is probably that Friday the 21st morning, just because the wind is the lightest it gets. You'll be looking at small, 4ft SSW swell with a short 9-second period, and that light cross-on wind will at least keep it from being completely blown out, but it's not something to get excited about. The water temperature is about average for the time of year, which is one of the few things that's normal.

This is a classic case of the swell is there, but the wind is the enemy. For a point break like El Cape, you need that offshore wind to make it shine. With the strong onshore winds we've got, and the size of the swell around the 19th (7ft), this setup would actually be more interesting for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer.

Stay patient, folks. The forecast can always change, but right now, it's a waiting game.

Rusty.

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