El Muelle Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. We're looking at a rough stretch ahead for the local waves. The next couple of weeks are going to test your patience, with a lot of onshore wind and messy conditions keeping things flat and uninviting for a while.

The water's sitting at a touch warmer than normal for the time of year, about 76°, so at least you won't need the thickest suit.

We kick off on Sunday the 30th of August, and honestly, it's a write-off. A 4ft swell from the north is there, but a strong 16 mph cross-on wind from the NNE is just wrecking it. The wave energy is moderate at best (295), but the poor surf conditions mean you're better off staying home. This same story of onshore northerly winds and choppy, lumpy surf continues right through the week and into the first days of September. Swell heights bounce between 3ft and 5ft, but the wind just never lets up, keeping everything poor.

We get a tiny glimmer of hope on Friday the 4th of September. The morning shows a 3ft north swell with a light 9 mph cross-off breeze from the SSE, which will clean things up. The combined energy is low (121), so it's not going to be pumping, but it'll be surfable. Don't get excited though; the afternoon sees the wind swing back around and ruin it.

After that, it's back to the grind. The weekend of the 5th and 6th is more of the same: onshore and cross-on winds with small, weak swell. By Monday the 7th, we get a glimpse of something different – a long-period groundswell from the NNW at 12 seconds, but it's only 2ft. It’s a tease. The energy is still moderate (184), but the wind is onshore again.

The pattern of poor surf with onshore northerlies just doesn't let up. We see a brief period of cleaner conditions on the 4th, but that's it for the first week and a half. The second week, from the 7th onward, is a continuation of the same story: small, short-period north swells getting chopped up by strong northerly winds. The wave energy stays in the low to moderate range (108 to 354), but it doesn't matter when the wind is howling. It's a long, dry spell.

There's one spot in the mix, El Muelle, a reef and point break. It's consistent, and it likes swell from the NNW, but the wind is just killing it for almost the entire forecast. The only day that looks even remotely interesting is Friday the 4th of September, with that brief window of cleaner conditions. But it's a weak swell and only a one-morning stand. The rest of the time, the onshore wind and small, short-period swell just aren't going to produce anything worth paddling out for. You'd need to be a glutton for punishment.

If you're a kitesurfer, that strong, consistent onshore wind on a beach setup is going to look a lot more fun than trying to paddle in this slop. For the rest of us, it's a waiting game.

Rusty.

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