El Estero Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s ahead at El Estero over the next couple of weeks. It’s a bit of a slow burner, but there’s some real magic tucked into the back half of the run.

We’ve got a river mouth setup that’s exposed to the west-northwest, and it’s a consistent little wave. The first few days are all about small, clean conditions rather than any size. Thursday the 20th starts off pretty average – you’ll find some 2ft swell from the southwest with a moderate offshore breeze from the east-northeast. It’s surfable, sure, but nothing to write home about. The afternoon goes cross-on and messy.

Friday the 21st and Saturday the 22nd stay small, with swell dropping to 1ft to 2ft. The mornings offer clean looks thanks to a gentle cross-offshore breeze, but the real gem pops up on Saturday afternoon. That’s when the wind goes glassy. A 2ft southwest swell, period at 14 seconds, and absolutely no wind – the water will look like a mirror. It’s small but for a longboard or a funboard, that’s a pure, clean session. Combined swell energy is moderate at 259.

Sunday the 23rd keeps that good vibe going. Morning has a 2ft southwest groundswell with a very long period of 19 seconds, cross-off wind, and clean conditions. The energy is moderate (269). Then Sunday afternoon goes glassy again with a 2ft, 18-second groundswell – just smooth, rolling lines. That energy climbs to 353. This is the kind of stuff where you lose track of time.

Monday the 24th and Tuesday the 25th hold the pattern – consistent 2ft to 2ft southwest swell, clean mornings with an offshore breeze, and afternoons going glassy or clean again. Water temp is about average for this time of year, nothing weird.

Wednesday the 26th sees the swell dip a touch to 2ft, and the energy drops off too (124 in the morning). Still clean in the morning, but it’s a quieter day. Thursday the 27th is a write-off with poor conditions and a messy cross-shore wind.

But then… hold onto your board. Friday the 28th brings a bump in size – 3ft southwest swell, but the period is a massive 19 seconds. The energy jumps to 699 (moderate to strong). The problem? A moderate cross-shore from the north makes it messy. It’s marginal, but the power is there.

Now for the standout. Saturday the 29th of August. This is the one. Swell jumps to 6ft from the southwest, period at 16 seconds, and the combined energy hits a whopping 1515 (strong). The wind is cross-offshore from the northeast, keeping things clean. A bit steep for beginners (over 5ft), but for experienced surfers, that’s a ripper. Sunday the 30th is also excellent – 5ft to 5ft southwest groundswell, solid offshore wind in the morning (1044 energy), and clean afternoon waves. The river mouth setup handles these long-period groundswells well.

Into the first week of September, it settles down but stays fun. Monday the 31st has clean 4ft waves in the morning, and Tuesday September 1st starts glassy with a 3ft south-west swell. Thursday the 3rd afternoon goes glassy with a 3ft, 16-second groundswell and 560 energy – that’s a beauty. And Friday the 4th of September morning is the real hidden gem: glassy winds, 4ft southwest swell, 16-second period, and 732 energy (strong). That’s a proper session for the crew that can wait.

Best on offer: Saturday the 29th of August. 6ft southwest swell, 16-second period, clean cross-offshore wind, and strong wave energy. It’s a solid step up in size and power. For the cleanest, glassiest feel, the morning of Friday the 4th of September is a killer call with 4ft and absolutely no wind.

Overall, a slow start, a dud middle, but a strong finish with some excellent, clean groundswell at the end of the run.

Rusty.

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