El Huerto Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ll be straight with you – this 16-day window for El Huerto is a real mixed bag, and mostly a waiting game. The first week and a half is pretty grim, with tiny, weak swell and onshore or cross-onshore winds messing up any chance of a proper wave. It’s not until the very end of the period that we see a solid pulse of energy, and that’s the one to circle on your calendar.

We kick off Wednesday, August 12th, with clean skies but next to nothing in the water. Swell is a meagre 2 ft from the NW, with a combined energy of only 42 – that’s weak. The water temp is sitting at 71°, which is about average for this time of year. The wind is a light cross from the NNE, but the waves are just too small and gutless to bother with. Thursday and Friday are more of the same; the swell stays tiny, and onshore winds keep the surface messy. Saturday the 15th brings a risk of thunderstorms and a bit more size, but the swell is short-period (5-6 seconds) and the wind is still cross-onshore, making for a lumpy, uninviting lineup.

Sunday the 16th finally shows a slight pulse of energy, with the combined energy jumping to 224 and a 4 ft swell from the NW, but it’s still cross-onshore. The waves are there, but the quality is marginal at best. It’s a tease. The following week remains poor, with the swell dropping right back down and the winds staying stubbornly onshore or cross-onshore. The energy is weak, and the surf is flat. There’s a glimmer on Sunday the 23rd with a glassy morning and a clean cross-offshore wind in the afternoon, but the swell is only 2 ft-2 ft – it’s surfable but very ordinary.

Now, the real standout is on Thursday, August 27th. The morning is looking magic. Skies are clear, the wind is glassy, and we’ve got a solid 7 ft NW swell rolling in. The combined energy hits 545 (moderate to strong), and the glassy conditions will make for clean, peeling waves at this point break. The 8-second period isn’t a long groundswell, but it’s enough to give shape. This is the one session to aim for – a proper window of quality surf. The afternoon on the same day gets ruined by a strong onshore NW wind at 16 mph, so get in early.

The only other half-decent mention is Tuesday, August 25th, with a glassy morning and a 4 ft NW swell, but the energy is moderate (165) and the waves are just “surfable” – not a standout, but a backup if you’re desperate. The crowds at El Huerto can be often, so expect company on that Thursday morning if you’re chasing the good stuff.

So, to sum it up: the first 15 days are a write-off for decent surf. The best on offer is Thursday, August 27th morning – glassy, 7 ft, good energy. Don’t sleep on it.

Rusty.

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