El Chanquete Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, I’m Rusty. Well, I’ve had a good look at El Chanquete and the next sixteen days, and I’ve got to be honest with you – it’s looking pretty ordinary for a surf. There are no standout sessions where everything comes together, and we’re staring down a long, flat start before a glimmer of hope shows up in the final week. It’s a beach-and-reef setup here, exposed to the swell, and it rarely gets a decent push.

Right now, Thursday the 13th, there’s no surf at all – zero energy in the water. That flat spell stretches all the way through Saturday the 16th. We’re seeing tiny slivers of swell, like 0.7 ft on Thursday and Friday, but with no energy (2 to 4 units of combined energy) and short-period windswell around 4 seconds, it’s not worth paddling out for. The wind is glassy on Thursday morning and Saturday morning, but there’s no wave to ride. The water temp is about 72°F, which is normal for the time of year, so the ocean feels average. It’s just flat.

From Sunday the 17th to Wednesday the 20th, we get a slight bump, but it’s still not good. On Monday morning the 17th, the swell lifts to 2 ft from the east with a 6-second period and combined energy of 21. The wind is offshore from the NNE, light at 3 mph, so the surface is clean. But the waves are tiny and weak – you’d be struggling to find a ride. Tuesday the 18th sees a little more size at 3 ft from the east, period 7 seconds, and energy climbs to 81. The wind shifts to a light cross-shore in the morning, but by afternoon it’s onshore and messy. Still, all these days are marked as “poor surf conditions.” Thursday the 20th offers 3 ft from the WSW with a 5-second period and energy 45, and the morning has clean cross-offshore wind from the NW at 9 mph, but again, the quality is poor.

Friday the 21st through Sunday the 23rd is more of the same – small waves, short periods, and mostly onshore or cross-onshore breezes. The morning of Saturday the 22nd is glassy with only 1.0 ft, and you’ll be sitting on a flat ocean. Energy never gets above 47.

Now, the one period that stirs a little hope is from Monday the 24th to Tuesday the 25th. Monday morning the 24th has a pulse of 4 ft from the WSW, period 5 seconds, and combined energy of 87 – that’s moderate energy, the best we’ve seen. The wind is glassy from the NNW at 3 mph, making the surface clean. It’s still only “surfable but very ordinary conditions,” and the period is short, so the waves won’t have much push. Tuesday morning the 25th has 4 ft from the WSW, period 6 seconds, and energy hits 122. The wind is cross-offshore from the NW at 12 mph, which keeps it clean. That’s the biggest swell of the whole outlook, but it’s only in the 4 ft range, so it’s manageable for most. The crowd situation at El Chanquete is “sometimes” busy, so you might have company if you go for Tuesday morning. Still, the period is short, and the waves won’t be that well-shaped.

After that, Wednesday the 26th drops off to 1 ft, and by Thursday the 27th it’s flat again through to the end of the period. So, if you’re looking for a session, your best bet is Tuesday the 25th morning at El Chanquete. It’s not a classic, but it’s the cleanest and biggest of a very average run. Given how flat this area usually is for long stretches, this blank run is pretty normal.

Rusty.

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