El Chanquete Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ll be straight with you—this stretch is a tough one. Over the next two weeks, El Chanquete is looking mostly flat or offering just tiny, weak waves that aren’t worth paddling out for. The water temperature is sitting at 67°, which is a whopping 6° colder than average for this time of year, so you’ll want a thick suit if you’re even thinking about it. The surf is pretty much nonexistent for the first week, with a big gap of nothing from Monday 31st August right through to Wednesday 2nd September, and then only tiny scraps until the second week.

From Wednesday 2nd September morning, there’s a hint of life with a tiny 1ft easterly swell, but the period is a short 5 seconds and the combined energy is a weak 8 (just a puff). Winds are clean—light cross-off from the NNW—but the swell is so small it’s barely rideable. The rest of the week stays in the same rut: Wednesday 2nd afternoon drops to 1ft, Thursday 3rd and Friday 4th mornings are glassy but offer only 1ft with energy in the 4 to 5 range. Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th see the same story—glassy mornings with 1ft to 2ft easterly swells, but the period never gets above 5 seconds. Combined energy nudges up to 12 on Sunday 6th morning, but it’s still just weak, gutless stuff. By Monday 7th, it’s back to 1ft and energy of 4. Honestly, if you’re a beginner, the 2ft on Sunday 6th might be a fun little ankle-snapper with the glassy conditions, but there’s nothing to get excited about.

The second week brings a slight uptick, but don’t hold your breath. Sunday 13th morning has a 1ft easterly swell with a 6-second period and combined energy of 12—still tiny. Then on Monday 14th morning, we finally get something: a 3ft easterly swell, period of 6 seconds, and combined energy of 64 (moderate). Winds are glassy from the SSW. The wave comment says “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions,” which is about right. This is the best on offer for the whole period, but it’s still small and short-period, so don’t expect any juice. Tuesday 15th morning sees a 3ft easterly swell, 7-second period, and energy of 89 (moderate), with glassy NNE winds. That’s the pick of the fortnight, but again, it’s not a standout. The swell direction is east, which matches the optimum direction for El Chanquete (SE), so the setup is okay, but the size and period are underwhelming.

El Chanquete is a beginner-friendly beach and reef break, fairly consistent, but the crowds can show up sometimes. For the tiny stuff on Monday 14th and Tuesday 15th, it might be worth a look if you’re desperate for a paddle, but there’s nothing here for anyone beyond a longboard cruiser. Short-period swell (under 8 seconds) means the waves will be weak and crumbly, not good for power. With the poor surf quality and light winds, this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing on most days.

Keep an eye on the forecasts, though—it tends not to stay this poor for long around here. For now, give it a miss.

Rusty.

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