El Muelle Surf Forecast and Surf Report

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

We’ve got a bit of a slow start, but the wait is worth it. The best surf of the whole window is definitely on the 5th of September, with a serious stand-out session on the morning of the 10th of September as well. The first few days are pretty flat and not worth paddling out for.

The Early Days (26th August – 4th September)

Honestly, the first week is a write-off. The swell is small, wonky, and the wind is mostly rubbish. There’s a tiny window on Friday morning, the 28th of August, at El Muelle. It’s a beach/pier setup, and we’re looking at a weak 3ft swell from the ENE, period of 8 seconds. Combined energy is only 208 – that’s very weak. The wind is offshore from the WNW though, which is a major positive, so it’ll be clean. But the waves are tiny and weak. Not worth rushing for. The crowds are only sometimes a problem here, but with this quality, it’ll be empty.

The rest of the week is a total blank. The swell drops to knee-high, the wind is messy, and the energy drops into the double digits (76, 66, 64). It’s a proper dead spell. The water temperature is sitting at 50°F, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, but that’s not much comfort when there’s nothing to ride.

The Turnaround (5th September – 10th September)

Now we’re talking. Saturday, the 5th of September, is the first real standout. The morning session at El Muelle is the pick of the forecast. We’ve got a 4ft swell from the S, with a period of 11 seconds – that’s a solid groundswell with good energy. The combined energy jumps to 677 (moderate, heading towards strong). But the best part? The wind is from the NW at just 3 mph, completely glassy. This will be clean, lined-up, and a joy to paddle out into. The swell direction is from the S, which is close to the optimum SSE direction for this spot. It’s good for intermediates, but the 4ft is small enough for beginners too. This is the one to circle on the calendar.

The Heavy Stuff (6th September – 10th September)

The 6th of September morning sees a jump in size, but it’s a short-period 7ft ENE windswell at 7 seconds. Combined energy is 1013 (strong), but the period is too short for quality. The wind is cross-off from the N, so it’s clean, but the waves will be fat and bumpy. The afternoon is better with a 5ft, but still short period.

The 10th of September is the other big one. Thursday morning, we’ve got a 7ft SSE swell with a period of 10 seconds. Combined energy is 1052 (strong). The wind is offshore from the NW at 12 mph, creating a moderate offshore breeze. This is going to be clean, powerful, and hollow. The swell is over 5ft, so it’s getting into intermediate territory, and it’s not one for beginners. The swell direction is SSE, which is exactly the optimum direction for this spot – it’s hitting it perfectly. This is an excellent session for experienced surfers. The afternoon is also good, with a 7ft swell and an 11-second period, combined energy of 1000, and clean cross-off wind. This is a solid, consistent day of proper surf.

The water remains a touch warmer than normal, which is a small bonus.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a dud. The 5th of September morning is the best for clean, fun, small waves, and the 10th of September morning is the one for the more experienced crew looking for power and size. Get those dates locked in.

Rusty.

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