El Estero Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get stuck into this one.

We’ve got a solid run of surf shaping up at El Estero over the next couple of weeks. It’s a river mouth, exposed to the west-northwest, which means it’s dialled in for this south-west swell. The consistency is good, but keep in mind, this spot can get busy, so expect some company out there.

The water is sitting around average for this time of year, so no surprises on the temperature front.

The first few days, starting Wednesday the 19th of August, are all about clean, rideable waves. Wednesday morning sees a 3ft south-west swell with a 15-second period. The wind is offshore from the east-northeast, so the surface will be clean. The combined energy is moderate (367). It’s a good start, but the real standout is coming later in the month.

We’ve got some smaller, fun-sized swell through the weekend and into the following week. The period hangs around 13-19 seconds, which is nice groundswell. Winds are generally favourable, especially on the mornings. Monday the 24th is a bit marginal with a cross-offshore wind, but the swell is still there.

The real magic, the one you want to circle on the calendar, is the morning of Friday the 28th of August. The ocean goes glassy, flat calm, with a 2ft south-west swell at a long 19 seconds. The combined energy jumps to 727 (moderate), but it’s the glassy conditions that will make it a gem. The waves will be clean and peeling.

But if you’ve got the skills, the absolute standout is the morning of Saturday the 29th of August. The swell bumps up to 5ft from the south-west at 16 seconds. The combined energy is a strong 1207. The wind is light and cross-offshore from the north-northeast, keeping it clean. This is big, powerful surf – expert territory only. If you’re not comfortable on a bigger board, give this one a miss.

The following Sunday morning, the 30th, holds similar size at 5ft with a 14-second period and good cross-offshore wind, so it’s another day for the experienced crew. After that, the swell slowly backs off into the first week of September, but we still get some clean, glassy mornings, especially on the 1st and 3rd of September.

There are no real gaps in the action here; the surf is on offer pretty much consistently through the whole 16-day window. The crowds will be a factor, especially when the conditions are clean, but that’s the cost of a good wave.

Rusty.

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