El Huaico Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, it’s Rusty here, and I’ve been staring at the charts for El Huaico, our local reef setup. Let's be straight with you – this 16-day window is a tough one to call. There’s no real classic day to jump on, but we’ll sift through the noise and see what’s salvageable.

The overall pattern is a bit of a tease. We’ve got a solid, long-period groundswell rolling in to start, but the wind is never quite on our side. It’s a cross-on breeze for most of the opening days, which messes with the face of the wave. The water temperature is sitting at 69°F, which is a whopping 7°F warmer than usual for this time of year – that’s very unusual, so you might not need the thickest wetsuit.

The best of a mixed bag looks to be Saturday, September 7th. On Monday morning, we see a 3ft swell from the SW with a super long period of 16 seconds, and the combined energy is moderate at 827. That afternoon cleans up to a 3ft swell, still 16 seconds, and the energy is similar at 838. The wind is a light cross-on, so it’s not perfect, but that long period groundswell will wrap into the reef. Expect clean, lined-up waves with long gaps between sets. The crowd situation is "sometimes" here, so you might get a few out, but it’s a big enough break. This is a reef, so that long period is actually a good thing – it won’t just close out.

We’ve got a few other days that are worth a paddle, but nothing that screams "drop everything." The early part of the week, from September 4th to the 6th, has a solid 5ft to 6ft swell from the SW, but the cross-on wind and "marginal" comments mean it’s a bit of a battle. The swell is 5ft to 6ft, so it’s pushing into intermediate territory, but the choppy conditions make it more work than fun.

Then there’s a real lull. From around Tuesday, September 10th, through to the end of the second week, the swell drops off and the quality dives. The wind stays light, but the swell is small and inconsistent. You’ll see a few pulses of 3ft to 4ft, but the energy is weak and the conditions are mostly "poor" or "marginal." There’s a day on Saturday, September 14th, where the swell is 6ft from the S with a short period of 8 seconds, but that’s a wind swell that’s going to be a mess, and the wind is onshore. It’s a kite-surfing setup, not a paddle surf setup.

The absolute best bet in the whole 16 days, if you’re patient, is actually Saturday, September 21st – wait, that’s not in the window. Let me re-check. The last few days show a tiny bump on Friday, September 20th, with a 2ft swell from the SW but a period of 19 seconds! That’s a very long period groundswell. The energy is 431, which is weak, but if the wind holds light and cross-shore (which it is), that tiny, ultra-long period swell could be surprisingly fun on the reef. It’s a long shot, but it’s the only real standout in the second week.

For the rest of that second week, the swell is just too small and the wind is never glassy. Expect a lot of flat, dribbly walls. The water will still be warm, but the surf is a no-go for anything serious.

Rusty.

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