El Chanquete Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s on the cards for our little corner of the coast. To be straight with you, it’s a pretty quiet stretch ahead. Most of the next two weeks are going to be flat or tiny, and even when there’s a bump, the wind has a habit of messing it up. Don’t get your hopes up too high, but don’t write it off either.

We’ve got El Chanquete as our only option. It’s a beach and reef setup, exposed to the south-east. For a beginner-friendly spot that’s fairly consistent, it’s a real tease when the ocean just won’t cooperate.

The first real shot of surf doesn’t roll in until Sunday the 13th of September. We’ve been looking at a long stretch of glassy mornings with hardly any swell before that. Thursday the 10th and Friday the 11th are basically flat, with maybe a little 1ft to 2ft bump but next to no energy. Saturday the 12th morning sees a tiny 3ft from the ESE, but the swell’s weak, with wave energy at just 30. It's not worth paddling out for.

Then, on Sunday the 13th of September, things change. The morning brings a clean 5ft easterly swell with a period of 6 seconds, and a moderate wave energy of 233. The wind is offshore from the NNE at 3 mph. This is the standout. At this size, it’s still okay for most, but it’s the best we’ll see for a while. The water temp is about average for this time of year. The offshore wind will clean it right up. This is your go. The afternoon sees the wind turn cross-onshore and the quality drops, so get it early.

Monday the 14th has a drop-off, with 2ft in the morning and onshore winds to follow. The rest of that week and into the next is a real desert. From the 15th of September through to the 22nd, it’s mostly flat or showing just scraps below 2ft, with barely a ripple of energy in the water. Mornings are often glassy but there’s nothing to ride. It’s a dead run.

We then get another pulse on Wednesday the 23rd of September. This one’s a bit more interesting. The morning brings 5ft from the east, period 6 seconds, and a solid 257 wave energy. The wind is cross-offshore from the NNW at 3 mph, keeping it clean. The swell direction matches the optimum for El Chanquete. This is your second real call. It’s a similar deal to the 13th, maybe a little more juice. The afternoon again gets messy with a strong cross-onshore, so mornings are the only game in town.

Thursday the 24th has a hangover morning: 4ft, glassy, but the energy is moderate at 110 and the quality is just ordinary. Not terrible, but not special. After that, it fades out through Friday the 25th.

Bottom line: The best on offer is Sunday morning the 13th and Wednesday morning the 23rd. Both have clean offshore or cross-offshore winds and a modest but rideable swell. Don’t expect a classic, but for this stretch, these are the windows.

Rusty.

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