El Gringo Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s get into it.

The whole 16-day window is all about one spot: El Gringo. This is a reef break, and it’s the only game in town, so let’s see what it’s got for us.

We’re starting off with some solid size. Saturday the 29th of August, we’ve got a 7ft swell rolling in from the southwest. The combined energy is pumping hard at (1785), that’s a lot of power in the water. Water temp is sitting at 66°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year. The wind is light and onshore from the southwest, which is the same direction as the swell. That’s a bit of a bummer, it’ll put a bit of texture on the face, but it’s not howling. Still, this is a big, powerful, long-period swell (14 seconds), and for an advanced crew only. Over 8ft it’s expert territory, so 7ft is already pushing it for anyone not on their game. The crowds are *sometimes* an issue here, so be ready to share the peak.

Sunday the 30th, the swell drops a touch to 6ft, still with that southwest wind. The energy is still strong (920), but it’s a step down. Monday the 31st through Tuesday the 1st of September, we’re looking at 5ft to 5ft, still with light onshore wind. The swell period is holding at 12 seconds, so there’s still some shape to it.

Now, Wednesday the 2nd of September is a bit of a curveball. The swell drops right off to 3ft, but the period jumps way up to 19 seconds. That’s a very long period groundswell. The energy is moderate (772). That kind of period is going to make the wave stand up tall, but it can also be a bit straight at a reef break and the sets will be far apart. The wind is cross-on, so it’s not the cleanest, but it’s a light breeze.

Thursday the 3rd and Friday the 4th of September, we see a bit of a rebound. Swell pushes back to 4ft to 5ft, period still long at 16-18 seconds, with light wind. The combined energy is back into the four-digit range (1060) on Thursday afternoon, which is solid. This is a good window for the more experienced surfer who can handle the long lulls.

Then we settle into a pretty consistent run of 4ft to 5ft swell from the 6th through the 12th of September. Periods are mostly 13-15 seconds, so it’s good quality, but the size is modest. The wind is annoying, mostly light onshore or cross-on, which is a bit of a letdown. The standout here is Wednesday the 9th of September afternoon. The wind goes glassy, and the swell is a clean 5ft from the southwest. That’s the best looking session of the whole second week. The energy is moderate (848), but the glassy conditions will make it feel much better. Thursday the 10th afternoon also has that glassy wind, but the swell is a touch smaller.

The final few days, from the 11th to the 13th of September, the swell is all over the place, dropping to 3ft then picking up slightly, but the period drops to 9 seconds on the 13th. That’s short period, weaker, and the wind stays onshore. Not worth getting excited about.

If you’re looking for the best of the best, it’s Saturday the 29th of August for the biggest, most powerful swell, but you’ll be dealing with a bit of wind. For the cleanest, most user-friendly session, lock in Wednesday the 9th of September afternoon or Thursday the 10th afternoon. That glassy wind is a gift.

Stay safe out there.

Rusty

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