El Palito Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, surfers, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you. I’ve looked at the charts for the next couple of weeks and, well, it’s a tough stretch for a wave. We’ve got one spot on the radar, El Palito, but the ocean is not cooperating. We’re looking at a whole lot of nothing for most of this run.

The long and short of it is that we have a serious dry spell on our hands. For the first week, from August 7th through to the 13th, there’s just nothing doing. The swell is basically non-existent, with energy readings in the weak zone (0 to 63) on the days it even shows up. What little swell we see on the Saturday, August 8th and Sunday, August 9th is only 3ft from the NE with a short, weak 6-7 second period. That’s just not enough to push through at a spot like this. To make matters worse, every afternoon sees a cross-onshore breeze kick up, chopping up what little texture there is on the water. The mornings are glassy, but with no waves to ride, it doesn’t matter. This first stretch is a complete write-off.

The gap of no decent surf is really a week-long, straight from Friday the 7th until the middle of the following week. We finally start to see a little life in the water around Monday the 17th. The energy ticks up, but it’s still showing as “poor surf conditions.” The wind is still a problem as the afternoons are all cross-onshore and lumpy. By the morning of Tuesday, August 18th, we get our most promising window. There’s a pulse of 4ft from the NE with an 8-second period, and the energy reading jumps to a moderate 177. The wind is almost nothing at 3 mph, so it’s looking clean.

This is the standout, and it’s not saying much, but if you can get out early on Tuesday the 18th, that’s your chance. El Palito is a beginner-friendly beach and breakwater setup, and this 4ft NE swell is about as good as it gets this fortnight. It’s the only time we get a clean window with a bit of push. The water temp is sitting at a normal 83°, about average for this time of year, so it’ll be a warm one.

The rest of the second week is a wash. We see small pulses here and there, but the wind is constantly messy and the energy just isn't there to make anything of it. By the final days, from the 21st onward, we're back to weak 3ft swells and onshore winds. It's a frustrating outlook.

Bottom line: if you're desperate for a paddle, set your alarm for Tuesday morning, August 18th. Otherwise, this run is one to sleep through. The surf just isn’t here. This is Rusty, signing off.

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