El Conquistador Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. I’ve been staring at the charts for this little stretch of coast, and I gotta be straight with you – it’s not exactly gonna be a classic run. The whole 16-day window is looking pretty flat and pretty quiet, so if you’ve got a board with a bit of foam under it, yeah, you might get a slide. But for most of us, it’s going to be a whole lot of waiting.

Let’s start with the spot on the menu: El Conquistador. It’s a beach and reef setup, very consistent, but man, the swell just isn't showing up. Water temps are sitting around 74° right now, which is only about 1° warmer than usual – feels pretty average for the time of year.

For the first few days, from Wednesday through to the weekend, we’ve got waves that barely register. You’re looking at swell heights of 0.6 ft to 1 ft. On Wednesday afternoon, we get a glassy, clean window with a 3 mph offshore wind from the SE and a long-period groundswell from the WNW at 11 seconds. Problem is, the energy is pitiful – combined energy at just 12 to 14. That’s not enough to push a sea lion off a rock. Thursday through to Saturday morning is more of the same: glassy conditions but the swell is just a whisper.

By Saturday afternoon the 1st of August, we finally see a tiny pulse. Swell height hits 2 ft from the NW with a period of 9 seconds, and we get glassy conditions with a light NE breeze. The combined energy climbs to a moderate 84, which is the best we’ve seen so far. It’s surfable but honestly, it’s very ordinary. Still, for a learner on a soft-top, those tiny, clean waves might be a goer if you’re desperate.

Sunday the 2nd of August is the real standout in this whole sorry period. We get a clean, glassy morning with a 3 mph NW breeze, and a nice long-period SSW groundswell at 13 seconds, giving us 1 ft to 2 ft waves. The combined energy jumps to 126 – that’s moderate, but the real story is the period. That long period (over 13 seconds) means the wave will have better shape and a bit of push, but because it’s a beach and reef setup, it might break a bit straight, so don’t expect perfect barrels. Still, Sunday afternoon is the best window: winds go calm, glassy as a mirror, and the combined energy is up at 126. If there’s a day to paddle out, it’s Sunday the 2nd.

After that, from Monday the 3rd through to the second week, it’s mostly back to small, ordinary conditions. A few afternoons like Monday the 3rd and Tuesday the 4th show combined energy in the 80–100 range and clean offshore winds, but the swell heights stay stuck at 1 ft to 2 ft. The pulse from the 5th of August has a nice offshore wind from the E and a 1 ft NW swell, but the energy is only 80 – very weak.

By the second week, things flatten out completely. From the 6th to the 13th of August, we’re back to 0.6 ft to 1 ft waves with very occasional glassy conditions. Midweek, like the 11th of August, there’s a brief pulse with a 2 ft NW swell and 8-second period, but that short period means it’s just bumpy, weak energy (combined energy 34). Not worth a paddle.

So, the honest truth: the best surf on offer in this 16-day run is Sunday the 2nd of August, with that long-period SSW swell and glassy conditions. But it’s small – don’t expect anything overhead. For the rest of the time, it’s a long flat spell. If you’re a kite surfer, those light onshore winds and tiny waves on the beach might be more interesting than for us paddle folk. Otherwise, bring a book and wait for the next pulse.

Rusty.

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